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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29000997">Fire Weeping From A Cedar Tree</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/laraceleste/pseuds/laraceleste'>laraceleste</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Baseline [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Young Justice (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alien Culture, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Green Lantern Corps - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Team Feels, Team as Family, Undercover, Undercover Missions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:16:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>82,328</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29000997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/laraceleste/pseuds/laraceleste</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arley Gluck had been a Green Lantern for more then half of her life. She was a hero and the thing about heroes is that they always pay the price, and Arley— no matter the price —had always soldiered on through because that was her job and Green Lanterns always got the job done, but after thirteen years of being a hero Arley comes face to face with a price she wasn't willing to pay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Wally West/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Baseline [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter One — Happy New Years Earthlings</strong>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>"Know that my love would burn with me; we'll live eternally."</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Twenty-one year old Arley Gluck woke up early New Year Eves day, naked and in the arms of the only man she'd ever loved. Sunshine streamed in through the blinds and the hair on Wally's legs tickled the smooth skin on Arley's calves.</p><p>Wally's arms were wrapped around her bare waist and the Lantern buried her face back into the crook of the speedsters neck. Arley could feel just how tangled and knotted her long black hair was and Arley knew it'd take an half hour in the shower just to unknot; but that was future Arley's problem. The Arley in that moment was more concerned with staying warm under the covers and out of the January air. Arley could hear Bodie moving around in the living room; she could hear the squeak of the rubber toy she and Wally had gotten him for Hanukah.</p><p>Arley, with her face buried in the crook of Wally's neck placed a delicate kiss on the side of Wally's neck; she loved him— she'd been in love with Wally West for eight years —and being there in his arms, under their covers, just like she had dreamed of as a teenager, it was amazing, it made Arley forget— if only for a moment —about the blood on her hands and the horrors that replayed in the back of her mind and instead focus on the warmth in her chest and how happy she felt.</p><p>Wally's right hand moved up Arley's spine and his left moved down, the speedsters head turned so that the tip of his nose was pressed against the bridge of Arley's; Arley smiled warmly as Wally's lips pressed against the tip of her nose.</p><p>"Morning Glowstick," Wally said huskily as his hand moved further down to grope her; Arley let out a hum as she breathed and as she lifted her head her chest pressed more firmly against his.</p><p>"Morning Handsome."</p><p>Arley pressed a kiss to Wally's lips and the speedster didn't hesitate to pull the Lantern against himself as he deepened it; Arley, as the minutes ticked by and the pair continued to kiss— Wally's hand had threaded through her already knotted hair and he tugged at the Lantern's scalp causing the young woman to moan —could feel Wally harden against her thigh.</p><p><em>Yes</em>, Arley thought hungerly, <em>more.</em></p><p>Arley smirked into the kiss, Wally's tongue swept into Arley's mouth and the dark haired Lantern threw her leg over his. Arley turned and Wally— with his lips still connected to Arley's, took his hand from her hair —followed so that she was on her back and he was hovering over her; her legs were on either side of the red-headed man's hips.</p><p>Wally's hand slipped from around Arleys waist and dripped between them; Arley's detached her lips from Wally's and she let out a languished moan as a finger slipped inside her. Wally's eyes clenched shut— they'd already been closed but as Wally stilled his hand for a moment the speedsters breath quickened —and Arley's legs spread further apart.</p><p>Wally peppered a series of kisses down Arley's throat and along her collarbones as he began to work his hand between her legs; faster and faster. Wally's lips continued to kiss every inch of skin her could reach without detaching himself from Arley and Arley wondered if he could heart her heart as he kissed along the tops of her breasts.</p><p>Fire started to flood Arley's veins and the Lantern's hand that had been embedded in the back of the speedsters head floated down to the red head's wrist.</p><p>Wally froze and looked up at Arley with wide eyes; he could run from one end of the country to the other in the span of four hours, he could move faster than a human could process but when it came to Arley he never rushed, not when they'd been seventeen and giggling love-sick teenagers because Hal and Guy were both away for the weekend and not at twenty-one and about to explode.</p><p>Arley, with half lidded lust filled eyes of her own looked at Wally; her heart hammered in her chest. She loved him, she could say it until there was no air left in her lungs and she could list every aspect she loved about him but even then Arley didn't think that would cover how much she loved the man in front of her.</p><p>"Just get inside me Genius," Arley murmured as her hand slipped up his arm, her nails scraped against his skin. Arley pressed a kiss to his lips; "Need you inside me."</p><p>She could feel Wally's smile against her lips as he slid into her with practiced ease.</p><p>Arley arched and gasped into him; she clung to him as he paused for a second. When Wally began to move a second later his movements were slow and torpid; each thrust he made was followed by a low sounding moan, or perhaps each move Wally made was guided by a breathy whimper.</p><p>A hot coil settled in Arley's stomach, waiting to spring free; Arley bit her lip as Wally's teeth scratched against the shell of her ear. Arley didn't need to look for the signs to know that Wally was with her, close to the edge and just about to fall off.</p><p>The Lantern turned her head so that once more her lips were melded against Wally's and her legs hitched further up along his hips; Arley pressed herself harder against Wally, almost as if she were trying to fuse with him and Wally's hips snapped against hers, speeding up just enough to make her see stars.</p><p>Arley swallowed up each of Wally's moans as he came inside her just as he he took in each of her whimpered cries. The pair, when the world seemed to regain color around them didn't immediately pull away from the other; Arley continued to cling to Wally as her breathing began to even out.</p><p>"I love you," she told him and Wally, with the corner of his eyes crinkled pressed a kiss to the Lanterns lips,</p><p>"Love you more."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Crowded around the kitchen counter Arley, Wally and Artemis— who'd been their roommate for almost a year —ate the pancakes Wally had made. The radio was on and Bodie, who'd grown to be the size of a small car could be heard eating out of his tire sized dog bowl in the corner of the kitchen.</p><p>Arley wore one of Wally's commandeered sweaters— there were old food stains that dotted the maroon fabric and a large discolored bleach spot that Wally had somehow gotten on the back —leggings that had a hole in the knee and a pair of fuzzy socks that had the Flash symbol on the very top of the foot.</p><p>"How was Star City last night?" Wally asked the ex-archer as he speared a fifth pancake onto his fork. Where Arley and Wally had decided to stay in for New Years the night before Artemis had decided to take the drive up to Star City and go to one of Oliver Queen's many, many parties.</p><p>"Great, I made out with some guy in the bathroom before Raquel walked in on us-so out of the three of us I can safely say I didn't get laid," Artemis said. Arley's lips twitched up as she made eye contact with Wally over the kitchen counter, both the night before and that morning's performances played in her mind; the Lantern's face burned a bright red.</p><p>Wally, with a cheeky grin winked at Arley.</p><p>"That sucks." The Lantern grinned at her plate and Artemis shot the twenty-one year old Lantern a dry look.</p><p>"Dick's right, you two are gross," Artemis grumbled into her plate.</p><p>"You know you can always call Zatanna to take care of—" Wally twirled a fork at Artemis, "—I'm sure she's still as much in love with you as you are with her."</p><p>"I'm not in love with Zatanna," Artemis snapped immediately, "I'm over her-totally and completely over her. I mean why wouldn't I be, I'm the one who broke up with her."</p><p>Arley pressed her lips together at the reminder; it'd been ten months ago and Artemis, after Zatanna had spent another night on the Watchtower going over spells and other magical theories with John Constantine— the League's newest magical member —had called it quits just as another fight between her and Zatanna had started to brew.</p><p>"Right, right," Wally said as he put his hands up, "Sorry."</p><p>It was quiet for a moment; <em>Bruno Mars Uptown Funk</em> played over the radio and Artemis glared at her pancakes before she sighed, the tension in her shoulders eased and the ex-hero looked up at Arley and Wally.</p><p>"So besides going at it like nerdy rabbits—"</p><p>"—We do not go at it like rabbits," Arley defended; Wally's cheeks were as red as his hair and Artemis snorted.</p><p>"Bullshit but okay," The blonde said, "Anyway like I was saying, how was your night? Bodie get scared again?"</p><p>The five year old vulpimancer hated fireworks; he tolerated thunder and gunfire in battle but the alien dog-like creature often found himself cowering behind Arley or Wally when the local neighborhood kids set off fireworks.</p><p>"Nope," Arley said; Wally snorted. Artemis' brows knitted together; she smiled nonetheless.</p><p>"Seriously?" Artemis looked over Arley's head and towards where Bodie was licking his bowl; "Good job buddy!" Bodie looked up from his bowl and let out a loud bark in Artemis' direction; Artemis looked back at Wally and Arley, "He's growing up."</p><p>"Maybe because Arley drugged him with a horse tranquilizer before they started," Wally snickered. Artemis' head snapped towards the bashful looking Lantern,</p><p>"You drugged the dog!" Arley held her hands— and her fork which had two pieces of pancake speared at the end of it —up, defensively.</p><p>"I did what was best for everyone; Bodie gets freaked out over fireworks-he broke the recliner last fourth of July," Arley reasoned, "I mean come on, none of us have money for another chair at the moment." They were three college students, one of whom— Arley —could only work as tutor, not only her hectic class schedule but also because of her job as a Lantern and other heroic duties.</p><p>"Fine," Artemis nodded, "I guess you're right." Arley's ring beeped and Wally and Artemis straightened up as Arley set her fork down and lifted her hand.</p><p>"Green Lantern Arley speaking." John Stewart's imagine formed over Arley's ring; Arley beamed at the sight of one of her father figures.</p><p>"Hey John!" The three young adults chorused.</p><p>"Hey kids," John said and Arley snorted, he was thirty-two, not fifty-two. "Arley," John said, his arms crossed behind his back, "Have you turned on a new station at all?" Arley frowned,</p><p>"No, why?"</p><p>"Lobo attacked the United Nations Secretary-General Tseng last night." Arley choked on her own spit.</p><p>Lobo wasn't a stranger and he could call himself a bounty hunter all he wanted but ever since Arley had been ten and she stopped his assassination attempt on the an alien Prince, the female Lantern knew what Czarnian really was; she knew that at the end of the day Lobo was an assassin— a hired gun —not a bounty hunter.</p><p>"How the hell did anyone from Earth manage to contact Lobo and put a hit out on the Secretary-General?"</p><p>"That's the thing, when Lobo attacked the Secretary-General he didn't kill him; he ripped him in half and took the alien pretending to be the Secretary-General." Arley blinked.</p><p>"I'm sorry, did he just say there was an alien pretending to be the UN's Secretary-General?" Wally asked, Arley licked her lips. Hal was off world on a mission, as was Guy and at twenty-one that made Arley the de facto sector leader; meaning she had to decide what to do about Lobo, not John.</p><p>"And when did this happen?" Arley asked John.</p><p>"Batgirl and Wonder Girl say about seven last night," John said unimpressed; Arley raised a brow and shot a dry look at the green hologram that floated over her ring.</p><p>Lobo had a fourteen hour head start.</p><p>"Right," Arley threaded her hands through her hair, "I'm going after Lobo-or at least I'm going to try to, Nortz knows he's probably out of the sector by now. Stay on world and try to find out just who-or at least, what kind of alien Lobo snatched from the fake Secretary-General."</p><p>"Got it, and Arley?"</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Be safe, Lobo's dangerous."</p><p>Arley snorted and smirked at the holographic image with all the arrogance of a Green Lantern Corps member could have. Lobo was dangerous, but he wasn't Lantern-killer dangerous; Arley had been going toe-to-toe with the Czarian since before puberity, and won.</p><p>"If I find Lobo, trust me, I'll be fine."</p><p>"You and Hal," John muttered, "I hate it when you two say that-alright. Love you, I'll call with updates."</p><p>"Love you too." And the image of John faded. Arley looked up at Wally and Artemis with a smile on her face, one that didn't quite reach her eyes; Arley loved being a Lantern but she also knew— she'd known for years —that being a Lantern took, and took until there was nothing left to give. Ganthet had once said that was her burden to bear as a hero. "Duty calls."</p><p>Arley's uniform formed over the stolen sweater and the ripped leggings and fuzzy socks; her mask appeared over her eyes and Wally smiled sadly at Arley once her uniform had fully appeared.</p><p>Wally had woken up to her screaming two nights before, after all.</p><p>Where Arley knew she would never buckle under the weight that came with the ring, she also knew sometimes Wally wished she would, if only so that she would have a break from the constant cycle of war and blood and horror that came with her duty.</p><p>Arley reached over the counter and grabbed Wally's hand; she pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles, her eyes never leaving his. "I'll be fine," Arley promised, "Trust me." Wally threaded his fingers through Arleys and kissed the pulse of her wrist; his own emerald green eyes glued to hers.</p><p>The words<em> I love you</em> hung in the air; not needed to be said.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Two days later, after being unable to find Lobo or the Krolotean that the intergalactic bounty Hunter had pulled from the fake United Nations Secretary-General Tseng, Arley found herself on the Watchtower.</p><p>John and her stood in the Watchtower War Room, in front of the large holographic computer screen as the newly appointed Justice League leader Captain Atom , Batman, Manhunter, Conner, Dick and M'gann— along with a man Arley didn't recognize —sat around them.</p><p>"The big guy's Lobo," Arley said as she pointed at the screen, both Rocket and Zatanna snuck into the room and took two seats closest to M'gann. "He calls himself an intergalactic bounty hunter but the dude's basically a gun for hire-an assassin. He's dangerous—"</p><p>"Extremely dangerous," John stressed; Arley rolled her eyes,</p><p>"Please," she scoffed as she turned to her sector partner, "I've been kicking Lobo's ass since I was ten." Arley turned back to the other Justice League members, "Anyway Lobo isn't likely to return. The alien Lobo pulled out from the fake Secretary General Tseng however is another story."</p><p>"That's a Krolotean," John said as he stepped forward, "And Kroloteans always travel in packs."</p><p>"Meaning more of them are on Earth," Batman said to Captain Atom. Manhunter stood from his seat, the room turned to the older Martian,</p><p>"I believe my friend may have vital information on that point," Manhunter announced as he flourished a hand in the direction of the unknown man who'd been seated next to him since the meeting had started. "Some of you have not met Adam Strange," Manhunter introduced.</p><p>Adam Strange— a young-looking, blonde man dressed in a long flowing white lab coat —stood up with an awkward smile on his face. Adam Strange waved his hand at the heroes and Arley's brows raised behind her mask as she smiled back at him.</p><p>"Adam Strange here works at S.T.A.R Labs' Erdel Initiative. He is the scientist responsible for maintaining the Zeta-Beam technology we use for teleportation, and he has a story to tell."</p><p><em>"And here I was wondering why a stranger was allowed on the top secret Watchtower,"</em> Conner said through the mind-link. The corner of Arley's lip twitched up.</p><p>"Uh," Adam Strange blinked, "It's a little involved." The scientist looked around the room, "I wish I had visual aids or something."</p><p>"I can assist you," Manhunter said; the Martian's eyes glowed red and Arley felt her mind splinter once more. The Lantern winced at the mental intrusion and John rolled his shoulders back as he breathed; Adam Strange brought his hand up to the side of his head as she clenched his eyes tightly shut.</p><p><em>"We are all linked Adam, what you remember we will see,"</em> Manhunter said through the link. Adam, with wide eyes looked at the Martian;</p><p><em>"Great?"</em> The scientist said. Suddenly Arley and the others no longer found themselves on the Watchtower but rather onlookers to Adam Strange's memory; the scientist was in a zeta-tube tunnel at the S.T.A.R Labs Erdel Initiative.</p><p><em>"Well I was performing a routine zeta-tube upgrade when something went wrong."</em> Everything flashed white, as it always did when the zeta-tube transported you and Adam Strange was on a platform, somewhere far-far from Earth.<em> "I found myself transported half-way across the galaxy to a planet called Rann."</em></p><p>Arley knew the planet, sort of; Arley knew that Rann was in Arisa's sector near the Guardian-Tribunal boarder and that the handful of times Arisa had gone to the planet the government officials she'd had to deal with had been openly hostile towards her as she wasn't Raanian.</p><p><em>"There was a scientist there, Sardath. He was conducting his own experiments in enhanced-very enhanced,"</em> Adam Strange emphasized, <em>"Zeta-beam technology. It took weeks to establish even basic communication, but Sardath eventually made me understand that some of his Zeta technology had been stolen.</em>"</p><p>Arley felt splinters of her mind come back to her as the scene that had been Sardaths lab faded and the Watchtower War Room came back.</p><p>"Fit's the Krolotean MO," John said. "Their entire culture revolves around stolen technology."</p><p>There was more to their culture than that; Arley had read books and books about the Kroloteans over the years but John was right, a big part of the Krolotean culture was based around stealing and things they had stolen.</p><p>"Sardath detected transmissions between a single location on Raan and multiple locations on Earth. He was attempting to trace those when he accidentally transported me to Raan. He gave me this." Adam Strange fished a device out his pocket and held it up for the room full of heroes to see. A glowing yellow holographic Earth appeared from the device. "It detects trace Zeta radiation and can pinpoint all the locations where Kroloteans have beamed to Earth."</p><p>"Then I'm ordering a two pronged attack," Captain Atom said as he stood. "We'll stage simultaneous raids on Every Krolotean target on Earth while a contingent of Leaguers travels to Raan with Strange here to cut the Kroloteans off at the source."</p><p>Adam Strange cleared his throat as the image of Earth faded, the team and League memebers turned to him.</p><p>"We might have a problem with that second prong. So I'm totally unclear on the why but Earthlings are persona non grata in Raans corner of the galaxy—" the image of six Justice League members, the six that had gone missing under Vandal Savage's control appeared from the Raanian device Adam Strange had in his hand, "—As these six Leaguers are wanted criminals."</p><p>"What?" John blinked.</p><p>Dick's head snapped to Batman, "Batman those are the missing sixteen hours!"</p><p>Batman looked at his first partner and nodded,</p><p>"Agreed."</p><p>"Missing sixteen hours?"</p><p>Strange questioned; Batman didn't sigh and though Arley couldn't see his eyes from behind his cowl but something in the way that Batman had turned towards the scientist reminded Arley of a disappointed parent.</p><p>"Five years ago Vandal Savage took complete mental control of the Justice League. These exact six Leaguers went missing for sixteen hours."</p><p>"It never even occurred to us that Savage might have sent us into space," John said.</p><p>"Why would it?" Arley scoffed. Her arms crossed over her chest and her hand pressed against the side of her ribs, over the scar she'd gotten from the last time she had run into Vandal Savage, "He's a caveman."</p><p>"I'll alert Hal," John said to Arley before turning to the other heroes and Adam Strange, "Hal and Guy are on Oa finishing up a mission."</p><p>"Meanwhile," Captain Atom said, "We have fifteen other Leaguers to send to Raan to investigate."</p><p>"You're not getting it," Adam Strange said to the Justice League leader as more League members' faces popped up from the device he held, "There's a planetary watch alert out on Rann for every Leaguer."</p><p>"Not all of us are Leaguers," Dick said as he too stood; "I can send a squad to handle the Raan end of things and to find out more about those sixteen hours, without causing an intergalactic incident."</p><p>Captain Atom shifted for a moment before he nodded in Dick's direction; "Do it."</p><p>Zatanna and Rocket got up silently and left the room and Dick nodded back at the Leagues leader before he pushed his chair out to leave the room, M'gann and Conner rose to follow and Arley stepped away from John to fly after them, only for Adam Strange to catch Conner's attention.</p><p>Arley who had flown over the War Rooms table dropped next to the clone as Conner turned to look at the blonde scientist. Arley eyed the stringy looking man as his hand hovered over the clones arm.</p><p>"If you're going, don't wear that shirt," Strange requested. Arley snorted at the clone's dry gaze before she followed him out of the War Room.</p><p><em>"You know that thing about you not being Leaguers, you four know you still have an open invitation,"</em> Zatanna said through the mind-link.</p><p><em>"We know Z,"</em> Dick smiled,</p><p><em>"But we're all happy where we are,"</em> M'gann added.</p><p><em>"Sides,"</em> Arley grinned,<em> "I'm not joining until they let Guy in, Lantern solidarity and all that."</em> </p><p>Rocket's laugh echoed through the six old team members' minds, Rocket— like everyone else in the League —had met Guy Gardner numerous times over the years.</p><p><em>"If that's your mentality you'll be old and gray before you join you know that girl."</em> </p><p>Arley's white teeth flashed at the taller female and she laughed herself.</p><p>
  <em>"Maybe but being a Lantern is all about brotherhood-if the League doesn't take Guy, they don't get me."</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>"So let me get this straight," Wally said as Arley packed her battery into a duffle bag. "You're being sent to a planet where there's a red alert out for Earthlings?"</p><p>Bodie's tail excitedly hit the wood flooring beneath him. Wally's hip rested against the mattress as he looked at Arley with a concerned expression on his face; Arley stopped backing for a moment and looked up at the redhead through her lashes.</p><p>"I'm a Lantern Wally," Arley said.</p><p>"That doesn't change your biology babe, you're as human as me when it comes down to it."</p><p>Arley rolled her eyes, though she smiled as she did so. Wally cared and Arley couldn't hold it against him.</p><p>"Going to dangerous places is sort of in the job description."  Wally's lips pressed together and Arley placed her hands against both of the speedsters arms. "I'll be careful-and besides, I'll have Conner and Megs watching my back. Garth too." Wally put his hands up and dropped them down onto Arley's shoulders. Arley's hands moved to his chest and fisted the shirt he was wearing.</p><p>Wally pressed his forehead against Arley's and breathed; "You promise you'll be careful?" </p><p>"Swear it." Wally pressed a chaste kiss to the middle of Arley's forehead and when he pulled away and his hot breath fanned across the Lanterns skin. Arley could feel his heart beating in his chest under her hands</p><p>"Come back to me, okay?" Arley looked up at Wally,</p><p>"Like there's any other choice West," Arley told him and Wally pressed another, less chaste kiss to the Lanterns lips.</p><p>…</p><p>The five of them— Arley, Conner, M'gann, Garfield and Adam Strange —arrived on a large zeta-platform. The flowers that surrounded them were so alien— the purple ones glowed and the pink ones opened and closed at what looked like every breath —that there was no question about where they had zeta-beamed too.</p><p>Garfield's tail flicked behind him and Conner looked around at the alien planet with wide blue eyes. The sky above them was clear and Arley could see the green glow of the Rannian moon shine down from the corner of her eyes.</p><p>Conner had Arley's duffle bag thrown over his shoulder.</p><p>"Whoa," Garfield gasped as they began to move towards the stairs. The green monkey-tailed boy turned with every step he took as he gaped at his and the others surroundings; Arley couldn't help but snicker at the young teen. Growing up she had reacted the same way every time the Guardians had sent her and Hal and the others to a strange planet.</p><p>"Zeta-squad," Adam Strange said, "Welcome to Rann."</p><p>"Whoa," Garfield gasped as they came to a stop at the top of the steps, "I'm totally walking on an alien planet." Garfield jumped and turned away from the large green moon, "Wow sis you must say that like every day on Earth!"</p><p>M'gann smirked as she planted a hand in the younger boys hair; "Actually, I kind of do."</p><p>"Wait," Garfield asked with wide eyes, his hands going around his throat, "We can breathe the air here right?" Arley raised a brow at the boy and smirked.</p><p>"You're breathing now aren't you?" Garfield opened his mouth to say something back when a femminie voice cut the teen off.</p><p>"Adam! Adam!" Arley and the others turned to see a young Rannian woman and an older Rannian man approaching; smiles on their faces. "I'm so happy you've come back!" She said. Arley blinked down at Aniell— her ring —and smiled.</p><p><em>Thank you, all powerful ring, without I would be lost,</em> Arley thought humorously.</p><p><em>Without me you would actually have to work on your Latin homework,</em> Aniell said back; the ring's voice floated through Arley's mind.</p><p>"Um, great? I think," Adam Strange said to the woman. The bald man behind the Raanian woman looked at Arley and her uniform almost suspiciously, Arley turned away from the man and his scrutinizing gaze and looked to Adam Strange.</p><p>"She says she's happy to see you again," Arley said; five pairs of eyes turned to Arley, the Rannian's and Adam Strange both looked at Arley startled. Conner smirked at Arley over his shoulder and Garfield looked at the Lantern with a wowed expression.</p><p>"You can understand them?" Adam Strange blinked. Arley fluttered her ring finger in his direction,</p><p>"Of course I can, the ring comes with a universal translator," Arley explained, she turned to the Rannians and stepped forward; Arley bowed her head forward just like Arisia had told her to do, "I'm Arley of the Green Lantern Corps, it's a pleasure to meet you."</p><p>Both the Rannian man and female bowed their heads back at Arley. Adam Strange stepped up next to the Lantern.</p><p>"Lantern, Zeta squad these are my Rannian friends, Sardath and his daughter—" Adam Strange tilted his head as he looked at Sardaths daughter, the alien female's smile softened; Arley threw a teasing look over her shoulder at her teammates "—Alanna. Sardath and Alanna," Adam Strange said with a breath, "These are Green Lantern, Miss Martian, Superboy and Beastboy, from Earth."</p><p>Both Sardath and his daughter bowed their heads.</p><p>"Welcome Earthlings," Sardath greeted. "Have you destroyed the zeta's yet?" Adam Strange and Arley's teammates turned to Arley questioningly; Arley looked at Adam Strange with a brow raised.</p><p>"I'm still figuring out the language," Adam Strange said defensively; "This is usually when we start playing charades."</p><p>Arley sighed, she played translator enough on Earth as it was. M'gann's eyes glowed green, Arley felt her mind splinter and both Sardath and Alanna winced. Arley turned to M'gann questioningly.</p><p>"What was that?" Alanna asked her father.</p><p>"Such an odd sensation," Sardath replied and Adam Strange perked up.</p><p>"You're speaking English!" Adam Strange gasped.</p><p>"No they're not," M'gann explained, "But I linked us mentally to Arley who has a universal translator in her ring and can understand them in her mind. We're serving as psychic translators; they speak Rannian and we speak English but all now hear the language they understand."</p><p>'Amazing," Sardath murmured; Alanna stepped closer to Adam Strange and Arley looked at Conner with a smothered smirk.</p><p>"It will make communicating so much easier," Alanna said. A siren wailed in the distance and Sardath straightened; Arley could feel his fear through the mind-link.</p><p>"Perhaps we should take things inside," Sardath said as he motioned to the entrance behind him, "It is wise to use caution when harboring Earthlings."</p><p>Arley wanted to remark how because she was a Lantern and Rann was in Guardian space— not Tribunal —she technically didn't count as an Earthling but instead chose to save her breath and keep quiet; Arisia had already told her how xenophobic the Rannian government was.</p><p>The elevator door to Sardath and Alanna's home hadn't even fully opened before Garfield shot out of it.</p><p>"Alien animalage!" The green boy gasped, "Cool!"</p><p>"Sardath, have you learned anything more about why Earthlings are unwelcome in this corner of the Galaxy?" Sardath sighed; and he nodded.</p><p>"The Rannian Science Command is xenophobic in general which is why my research into interplanetary zeta-beam travel is being conducted quietly." Adam Strange's brown eyes widened,</p><p>"And why haven't you reported the theft of your technology," the human scientist nodded in understanding. Sardath shut his eyes as he nodded,</p><p>"Exactly, if Science Command learned I had made it possible for aliens-especially you Earthlings, to zeta here to Rann the consequences could be dire for myself and my daughter."</p><p>"We won't let that happen," Arley promised, "Science Command will know nothing of mine or my teammates being here."</p><p>Sardath's lips twisted upwards into a smile, Conner who had been standing next to Arley shifted his weight from foot to foot.</p><p>"I still don't get it, why the big hate for Earthlings? How do they even know any Earthlings to hate?" Alanna pressed a button on the console behind her father and the image Adam Strange had displayed in the Watchtower— the one of each of the six missing Leaguers —appeared.</p><p>"I'm sure Adam showed you this?" Alanna eyed the symbol on Arley's chest, "We are still unclear of the details."</p><p>Arley resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest and hide the Lantern on her uniform; John hadn't been in control of his actions when he'd done them five years ago, there was nothing shameful about being a Lantern.</p><p>Eleven years of bloodshed flashed through Arley's mind and absentmindedly the Lantern mended her stance; there was nothing shameful about being a Lantern in relation to John. Garfield, in the corner of the room had his head transformed to look like the Rannian bird like creature that rested on his arm.</p><p>"Science Command is not inclined to share intelligence," Sardath said,</p><p>"But," Alanna added, "We have learned there was an incident on the planet Rimbor involving Earthling Criminals known as the Justice League." Sardath looked at Arley; Alanna looked at the others,</p><p>"I assume you are not associated with these outlaws?" Sardath question and Arley pressed her lips together, she raised a brow at the man challengingly, M'gann stepped forward.</p><p>"We are not members of the League," she said. Sardath continued to look at Arley unblinkly; the Lantern stared back. Arley couldn't throw the mission— she wouldn't, she was a good soldier and Green Lanterns always completed their missions —but she also wouldn't disassociate herself from John; he was as much her father as Guy and Hal.</p><p>She wouldn't just throw him under the bus.</p><p>"But since then the Krolotaens have posted planetary watch alerts for every criminal in the League."</p><p>"Kroloteans!" Adam gasped as he stepped closer to Sardath, "That's who stole your zeta platform technology; they used it to secretly invade Earth and that's how they found out about the other Leaguers."</p><p>"I know," Sardath told the human scientist dryly, "I told you that the last time you were here." Adam thumped his head the same way M'gann had done when she'd first come to Earth.</p><p>"Oh of course," Adam said, "Krolotean, I misunderstood you. I thought it was just a Rannian word for thief."</p><p>"It might as well be," Alanna said snidely.</p><p>Arley— if the Kroloteans hadn't secretly invaded Earth and started body-snatching people —almost wanted to defend the thieving race of aliens; their planet had been destroyed eons ago and ever since then the Kroloteans had been searching for a new one but everywhere they went they were either shunned and forced off the planet or made to eat the scraps of whosoever planet they landed on, that was why they were thieves, it was— without a stable home of their own —the only way they could get their foot in the intergalactic door.</p><p>"Yeah," Conner said, "Krolotean culture revolves around stolen tech, we heard. Question is, what do we do about it?"</p><p>"My father's zeta shield will help," Alanna replied. She pressed a second button on the console and an image of a glowing net over a planet appeared.</p><p>"If I could perfect the design your primitive zeta tubes would still function within the confines of the Earthling atmosphere, but unauthorized travel to and from other worlds would become impossible. In short my shield will prevent more Kroloteans from invading your world via zeta-beam while trapping any still entrenched there."</p><p>"And in the meantime Adam tells us you've located the Krolotean zeta platform here on Rann."</p><p>"Indeed, but the jungles of Rann can be dangerous," Sardath said, "You Earthlings will need a guide."</p><p>Arley raised a brow at the Rannian scientist; she hadn't gotten the symbol on her chest just by her ring attaching itself to her finger, she'd had to go through four cycles— a year —of boot camp. Arley doubted— after everything Kilowag had put her through —there was anything in the Rannian jungle she couldn't take without her ring.</p><p>"I'll go father," Alanna said, "You must complete your work on the zeta shield."</p><p>"But transportation out of the city of Ranagar is also not without risks Alanna." Sardath looked at the four heroes and Adam Strange; "We must disguise these Earthlings."</p><p>Conner's shoulder tensioned and his teeth ground together.</p><p>"Look enough about this Earthling thing, I'm half-Kryptonian, Arley's a Green Lantern and Miss Martian is-a well, Martian!" There was also Garfield who looked the furthest thing from what a normal thirteen year old boy ought to look like but Arley didn't bother to add that in; M'gann had told her how self-conscious Garfield could get at times.</p><p>"You came here from Earth, did you not?" Sardath asked rhetorically.</p><p>"Yeah," Conner blinked, "But we're not-I mean, never mind," he sighed.</p><p>…</p><p>Arley waited for Conner and Adam Strange to change in one of the hallways of Sardath and Alanna's home. She was already dressed in old clothes Alanna had grown out of and had taken to leaning against the wall of the hallway.</p><p><em>Hey Aniell, where the hell is Rimbor?</em> Arley wondered. There were thirty-six hundred sectors of Guardian space and while Arley knew she couldn't know every planet in those thirty-six hundred sectors she assumed that any Lantern who had Rimbor in their sector would have let John know what he'd done years ago.</p><p><em>Not Guardian territory,</em> Aniell answered; <em>Rimbor is just over the border between Guardian and Tribunal space.</em> </p><p>Arley's jaw set.</p><p>Tribunal space, something that bordered Arisia's sector may have been right next door to Guardian space but it practically another universe. It was where the Galra and Apokolpitan weapons came from and where many species the Corps had gone to war with had taken refuge too as the Tribunal didn't tend to extradite any criminals over to the Corps; just as many criminals who were wanted by the Tribunal tended to find themselves in Guardian space.</p><p>No wonder Arley and John hadn't heard about him and the other five Leaguers wanted status.</p><p><em>But why Rimbor, why did Savage send them to Tribunal territory?</em> Arley wondered; And was it an accident? If it hadn't been how had Vandal Savage— an immortal Neanderthal who had never once left Earth —even known about the border?</p><p>…</p><p>Powered down and with a hood that belonged to Alanna drawn over her head, Arley and the others walked onto the Rannian train station that led out of Ranagar; Garfield disguised as the bird-like creature from Sardath and Alanna's home sat perched on M'gann's shoulder.</p><p>Conner had his arm thrown over Arley's shoulders in the same brotherly way he'd been doing for the past five years.</p><p>The train came around the bend and Arley's ring hand was curled around the cuff of the robe Alanna had allowed her to borrow. Arley's hood bellowed in the wind as the front of the train rushed by, only to come to a still when the train stopped.</p><p>Alanna was the first to board the train; then Adam Strange and then Arley lead Conner, M'gann and Garfield. Arley took the seat between both Conner and M'gann solely because Conner had slung her between himself and the Martian, not because she wanted to; no part of Arley wanted to sit between the pair of ex lovers anymore then she would want to skydive into a sarlacc pit.</p><p>Garfield moved from M'gann's shoulder to the top of Arley's head; <em>"Nortz help me Beastboy if you pull down my hood and blow this I'm going to get Wally to make turtle soup when we get back."</em></p><p><em>"What!</em>" Beastboy squakwed. M'gann, with a small smile, nudged Arley and the Lantern smiled at her best friend.</p><p><em>Be nice,"</em> M'gann tutted.</p><p><em>"We should be fine now,"</em> Alanna thought; but just as the thought had rung though the mind-link two Rannian Science Command officers managed to catch the train, both of them hopping into the cart before the doors closed.<em> "Unless the Rannian Science Patrol comes in for routine ID checks."</em></p><p>The science patrol officers turned left and began to start scanning at the other end of the train. Adam Strange opened the duffle bag Sardath had given them, and put his hand on the jetpack the Rannian scientist had given them.</p><p><em>"I'll create a diversion and lead them off our trail."</em> Alanna grabbed Adam Strange's wrist,</p><p><em>"No,"</em> she thought, <em>"It's not safe, I'll—"</em></p><p><em>"—You're the jungle guide, remember?"</em> Adam Strange thought, he looked at Alanna warmly and, through the link, Arley could feel both the Rannian female's heart pounding and the human scientist's chest exploding with warmth as the pair's eyes locked. <em>"I'll ditch these guys and circle back to your fathers compound to help him finish the zeta shield."</em></p><p>Alanna put her hands over Adam Strange's and both Conner and M'gann looked away from one another; Arley looked down at her hands suddenly understanding the way Artemis usually felt when she and Wally cuddled on the couch or made out on the kitchen counter.</p><p>Adam Strange bursted from his seat, "Beware the Jabberwock my son!" he cried.</p><p>Arley's eyes shut; she knew exactly where the scientist was going.</p><p><em>"Oh we're so dead,"</em> Arley moaned through the link; Strange paid her no mind.</p><p>"The jaws that bite, the claws that catch," Strange lamented as he danced his way over to the Science Command Patrol Officers, "Beware the Jubjub bird and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!" Adam Strange pinched the nose of the Science Command Patrol officer that was closest to himself, "Got your nose." Adam Strange jumped off the train; "No time to say hello, goodbye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" Adam Strange then took off running; the two Science Command Patrol Officers racing behind him.</p><p>The train doors shut and the train began to move.</p><p>Alanna stood up and moved so that her knees were touching Arley's as she looked out the window. <em>"Jabberwock? Bandersnatch?"</em></p><p><em>"His last name is Strange,"</em> Garfield said; Arley rolled her eyes, she looked up at the alien woman.</p><p><em>"It's an Earth poem, he's a nerd and apparently someone isn't teaching Beastboy the basics of English lit,"</em> Arley thought as she cast a look up to Garfield. Alanna smiled at the Lantern before she moved to sit back down and Garfield's neck twisted so that the end of his pointed beak was pressed against the bridge of Arley's nose.</p><p><em>"Please don't tell Mr. Carr I need to read more, I hate English!"</em> The teen moaned; Arley snickered and pressed her finger to the bird-boys head, moving him back up and out of her face.</p><p><em>"Prove yourself on the mission and we'll see."</em> Arley settled against Conner's shoulder and breathed. Maybe she couldn't sleep— they were on a mission and she had to keep her guard up —but that didn't mean she couldn't relax until they reached their drop point.</p><p>Several hours later and in a new position then the one she's started the train ride in— her legs were thrown over M'ganns lap and her back was against Conner's arm —Arley watched Alanna get up from her seat and place the messenger bag she'd thrown over her shoulder since leaving her and her father's home on the floor.</p><p><em>"We'll be in range of the coordinates soon,"</em> Alanna said through the mind link and Garfield, who was perched on the back of the seat, looked over to M'gann.</p><p><em>"Hey sis,"</em> the green changeling boy said,<em> "Remember that time you and Superboy visited me in Qurac, and he picked flowers that were really poison sumac."</em> </p><p>Arley looked up at the bot she thought of as a brother and quirked both her brows up at him, Arley had never been into botany but she knew enough from her dealings with Poison Ivy to know what poison sumac was.</p><p><em>"Isn't poison sumac a leaf-like type of ivy?"</em> Arley wondered teasingly; Conner's cheeks burned pink and M'gann looked at the boy she thought of as a brother, Alanna stood up with the bag over her shoulders once more.</p><p>
  <em>"That was a long time ago Gar."</em>
</p><p><em>"Noted,"</em> Garfield said,<em> "But you remember, right Superboy?"</em> Garfield asked Conner as he swung his tiny bird-like body around to the clone. Conner rocked forward in his seat and Arley caught herself on the edge of the trains seat,</p><p><em>"How much farther?"</em> Conner asked Alanna. Alanna opened the holographic map her father had given them and looked at the door, her own jetpack opened and Arley felt her uniform appear under the robe Alanna had given her.</p><p>Her mask appeared over her eyes.</p><p><em>"Now."</em> Conner got up and Arley threw her legs over M'gann and back onto the floor as Conner kicked open the train doors; he moved back so that Alanna could lead the way, M'gann and Garfield followed after the Rannian native and Arley, with Conner's hand in hers, flew after them.</p><p>The five landed on the jungle floor below the train tracks; Garfield transformed back into his unusual half-monkey form and Alanna once more took out the holographic map her father had given them.</p><p>Conner and Arley— As M'gann shifted back into her usual form —began to take off the robes they'd gotten from Alanna and Sardath, and— because Arley had left her battery back at Sardath and Alanna's home —Conner stuffed the robes into the duffle bag Arley had brought with her.</p><p>"This way," Alanna said. Garfield jumped into the air and swung from several vines before dropping back onto the ground in front of Alanna, the younger boy's eyes widened at the sight of blue sand and the luminescent purple flower that was perched in the middle of the sandy puddle.</p><p>"Whao-hoo," Garfield gasped, "Now that is some prime alien souvenir material!" Garfield went to jump for the flower only for Alanna to catch the younger boy by his tail.</p><p>"Wait!"</p><p>Garfield let out a painfilled cry as he hit the grounds, inches from the blue sand. Alanna dropped Garfields tail and instead picked up a thin stick that laid by her foot, the Rannian threw the stick into the blue sand and as the stick sunk into the sand fire erupted around the plant.</p><p>Arley's eyes widened.</p><p>"Blue Sand Bog," Alanna explained, "Deadly. Basically, if it looks pretty don't touch it."</p><p>"Noted," Garfield wheezed as they continued around the sand bog and further into the jungle until they came to a stop, just outside the Krolotean compound. The five hid in the bush of the jungle, behind several large purple leafed plants.</p><p>The compound reminded Arley of the run down airfields Hal watched supernatural documentaries about.</p><p>"It's bigger than I anticipated," Alanna said, "I mean even this far out in the jungle how could something this size be built without the Science Command knowing about it?"</p><p>M'gann stepped back and drew her hood over her head; Arley and the others turned to the young Martian. M'gann blended into her surroundings, turning not invisible but virtually so.</p><p><em>"I'm going in, I'll send you an image of where to rendezvous," </em>the Martian girl said through the mind-link.</p><p>Through the link Arley could see what M'gann saw; she could see dozens upon dozens of Kroloteans in the large compound, chittering to one another as they worked on the zeta-platforms that littered the room.</p><p><em>"I found your entrance,"</em> M'gann thought and Alanna and Arley— with her hands under Conner's arms —and Garfield, who once more had transformed into the alien animal he had seen back at Alanna and her father's home, flew up silently to the hole in the roof of the Krolotean compound.</p><p>The four hesitated for a moment as M'gann checked their surroundings.</p><p><em>"All clear,"</em>  the Martian said before the four dropped down into the compound and followed M'gann into the compound's rafters. Garfield transformed into a monkey and Conner pressed himself against a beam in order to hide himself; Arley who blended into the green walls of the compound stayed away from the edge, as did Alanna.</p><p><em>"Six zeta platforms?</em>" Alanna gasped.</p><p><em>"Not for long,"</em> Arley mused as Conner set the duffle bag he'd been carrying down onto the floor. The clone took out a box and opened it, showing both Alanna and Garfield the dozen bombs that were inside of it.</p><p>
  <em>"There are small target explosives, they should disable the platforms without blowing the whole base. Three minute triggers will give us plenty of time to get out before the Kroloteans know what hit them."</em>
</p><p>Two of the bombs floated into Arley's hand, another two floated into Garfield and four floated in front of M'gann.</p><p><em>"Beastboy, Lantern and I will plant them,"</em> M'gann said to Conner and Alanna,<em> "You two wait here."</em></p><p>Arley knocked her fist against Conner's as her feet lifted off the ground and quietly, just as she had long ago been taught, she flew down to the zeta platforms. Careful not to be seen, Arley placed one bomb on the underside of one platform and the second to the underside of the platform next to it.</p><p><em>"All set"</em> Garfield beamed through the link, <em>"Now let's blow this—"</em> a loud blaring alarm interrupted the green skinned teenager and Arley ducked so that she was below the catwalk that led to the zeta-platforms.</p><p>"Incoming zeta-transmission!" A scratchy voice screeched. "Raise the antennae!" Arley's eyes widened,</p><p>
  <em>"Guys—"</em>
</p><p><em>"We heard,"</em> Conner grumbled as Alanna gasped,</p><p><em>"The escape route is blocked, we're trapped inside with the bombs."</em> Arley's eyes shut; she had promised Wally she would be careful, being trapped inside a building with bombs and no escape route was not careful!</p><p><em>"Yeah,"</em> Conner tisked,<em> "With the bombs and a lot of angry company."</em> </p><p>Wally was going to kill her.</p><p>"Sir, what happened!" One Kroletean asked, another Kroltean, one who stepped off the platform and onto the catwalk Arley was hidden under screeched back his reply;</p><p>"The Meta-Earthlings drove us back here!" Arley's brows knitted together,</p><p><em>"What the hell's a Meta-Earthling?</em>" Arley wondered,</p><p><em>"No clue,"</em> Conner replied.</p><p><em>"New plan,"</em> M'gann said, <em>"When the platforms blow, use the chaos to charge the front door; I'll cover you."</em></p><p><em>"And then we blow this—"</em> Garfield was cut off by a scream; his own scream. Arley let out a scream as well as she too was blasted back; Arley hit the ground beneath her with a roll, the Kroloteans above her screamed as they were blasted from their zeta platforms.</p><p><em>"Arley!"</em> Arley let out a huffed growl as she rolled onto her stomach and slowly got to her feet. Kroloteans laid around her, some simply knocked out, others bleeding and others were half under the zeta platforms Arley and the others had blown.</p><p>She could taste Alanna's horror at the scene before them through the link; it was the same as Arley's. Arley's breath got caught in her throat as she continued to look at what she and the others had done. They hadn't meant to, no one had been meant to get hurt.</p><p><em>"Beastboy!"</em> M'gann cried, <em>"Gar! Are you alright?"</em> Arley formed a large glowing green hand from her ring and— as Garfield let out a whimper —used her construct to move and push the platform she had been nearest to off of three bleeding Kroloteans that had been crushed underneath it.</p><p>She had wanted to stop them from invading her planet and kidnapping humans; she hadn't wanted them dead. She didn't want their blood on her hands. Her heart thundered in her chest as she pushed the rubble of a second platform off of more Kroloteans.</p><p>Kroloteans were thieves and pickpockets and bandits; they weren't cold blood killers and war-mongers, they didn't deserve to die in a pool of their own blood. They didn't deserve to be murdered.</p><p><em>"Yeah, yeah, I'm good, go!"</em> Garfield replied. The teen changed from a monkey to a gorilla and the ball in Arley's throat— the one that made it hard to breath —bobbed furiously.</p><p>She needed to leave.</p><p><em>You do,</em> Aniell whispered,<em> You promised your boy you would come back to him. You need to run.</em> She needed to help the aliens around her too. <em>They'll kill you for what you've done,</em> Aniell hissed;<em> Run Arley, run.</em></p><p>Arley turned away from what she'd done and shot out of the compound with the rest of her team; Conner every other step looked up at Arley who pretended she couldn't feel his stare burning into her.</p><p>Arley and others raced down a long hallway, M'gann used her telekinesis and the wooded up entrance bursted open with a bang; neither Arley or the others paused to look over their shoulders— Arley ignored the dark thoughts that pounded in her head with every beat of her heart —as they raced into the Rannian jungle.</p><p>The four young heroes and their jungle guide didn't stop running— flying in the girl's case —until Alanna's jetpack let out a beep, warning her it was low on power. The green moon glowed ominous in the dark sky, the moon behind it glowed blue.</p><p><em>"Where did all those Krolotains come from?"</em> Alanna wondered through the mind-link.</p><p><em>"Earth,"</em> Arley answered as she shared a dark look with M'gann; when Dick had sent them off to destroy the main Krolotean compound with only Garfield and Conner— and a civilian —the fact that the Kroloteans from Earth would appear had never crossed their minds, they had thought Dick had accounted for them. Perhaps he had; Dick Grayson was nineteen, no longer the wide eyed fourteen year old boy he'd once been.</p><p>Like it had done to everyone else who had known the second Robin's death had effected him; it had changed Dick.</p><p><em>"We think,"</em> M'gann added, <em>"Our team was set to raid their Earth bases about now."</em></p><p><em>"Can't you find out for sure?"</em> Garfield asked Arley and the Lantern looked back at the green gorilla that trailed behind her,</p><p><em>"Sure I'll just ask one of the murderous aliens out for our blood where they came from, would you prefer I do it before or after they tear out my throat?"</em> Arley wondered sarcastically. M'gann's elbow jutted into Arley's side and Garfield's bottom lip stuck out.</p><p><em>"Before to be honest,"</em> Garfield said and Arley, holding her side, snickered.  Garfield was sweet; he reminded Arley of a younger Billy— not that Billy Batson wasn't still sweet, Arley still adored the younger hero —but Garfield reminded Arley of back before the Leaguer started to go through puberty and began to mimic Conner because, in Billy's opinion, Conner was the coolest guy he knew.</p><p><em>"Sure,"</em> she told the young teen, <em>"I'll get right on that."</em> </p><p>Garfield flashed Arley a smile and Arley's head swiveled back around to watch the jungle in front of her. Conner slowed down at the back of the line.</p><p><em>"They're following us,"</em> Conner thought as he turned to the jungle behind them,<em> "Or something is-something big."</em> Conner's eyes narrowed and Arley— before Conner turned back to her and the others with a gasp —hadn't managed to get a clear picture on just what the clone had seen.</p><p>"Move!" Conner shouted; Arley and the others didn't hesitate to spring forward, away from where they'd just been. The jungle around them exploded; M'gann and Garfield went one way deeper into the jungle and Alanna and Arley both went up only for whatever was chasing them to strike the Rannian female jetpack. Alanna detangled herself from the jetpack and began to drop through the air.</p><p>"Conner!" Arley shouted as she turned; Conner caught Alanna as Arley fired at the bug like mechs that had chased them through the jungle only to miss as Alanna's jetpack exploded near her. The mech fired at Conner and hit the clone in the back, sending him and Alanna forward.</p><p>Arley dove at the second mech; her ring out in front of her. She didn't think about the alien inside of the mech or the color of the Krolotean blood back at the compound and how that color would be all she saw for the rest of her life; all Arley thought about was Conner— her brother —and Alanna and how it was her duty as Lantern to do what was needed of her.</p><p><em>"This is so not how the mission was supposed to go,"</em> Conner bemoaned.</p><p>The second mech rushed past Arley and a third mech emerged from the brush as Arley swung the whip-like construct through the air, cutting the mech in half and destroying it in a fiery explosion.</p><p>Arley's skin burned hot as she floated down to the ground; Alanna's voice sounded in the back of her mind as Arley moved towards the wreckage she'd caused. Arley formed a dome over the fire, smothering it out, she didn't worry about the Krolotean that had been driving the mech or what the lack of oxygen would do to it; there was no way the Krolotean survived.</p><p><em>Another face to see in my nightmares</em>, Arley thought gallowly.</p><p><em>You did what you had to do,</em> Aniell thought, <em>You did what was right.</em></p><p><em>Spare me,</em> Arley scoffed; I<em> killed the Krolotean because it was the easiest way to keep Conner and the others safe, I blew up the compound because those were my orders and if we hadn't stuck around to see the aftermath I wouldn't have thought of what we did. I'm a killer. </em>Arley said it so simply; the same way she would say whether or not it was raining or if the moon was out, she said it irrefutably.</p><p><em>I'm sorry,</em> Aniell said softly in the back of Arley's mind.</p><p><em>Don't be,</em> Arley thought stiffly<em>, I'm the one who did it, my choices are my own. </em>Arley smirked darkly down at her ring,<em> Or have you forgotten what free will is?</em></p><p>Aniell didn't respond.</p><p>
  <em>"Superboy, Lantern, Alanna, are you—"</em>
</p><p><em>"—Alanna and I are okay for now,"</em> Conner said, <em>"What about you-and Arley, you're okay?"</em></p><p><em>"Fine,"</em> Arley said as she flew up and away from the smouldering wreckage.<em> "I'm fine-what about Miss M?"</em></p><p>
  <em>"We lost them."</em>
</p><p><em>"Now can we blow this popsicle stand?"</em> Garfield wondered.</p><p>
  <em>"Now we stay put, we give their patrols a chance to move on. We'll meet up below the mag-rail when it's safe."</em>
</p><p><em>"And then regroup with Adam and my father to determine what to do about this Krolotean base,"</em> Alanna added; M'gann's hum ran through the mind-link.</p><p><em>"M'gann,"</em> Conner thought, <em>"Be careful."</em></p><p><em>"You too Conner,"</em> M'gann said softly and Arley rested her back against the trunk of the tree she was in; there'd been hundreds of more lives Arley had, had to take over the years— ever since Sinestro and his Yellow Corps had started to wage war against the Green Lanterns and ever since the Krojodilos, a war mongering species that held no value for life of any kind, recently began trying to conquer numerous neighboring planets all Arley ever found herself in anymore was war —and just like every one of those times, Arley wondered if the Krolotean went quick enough as not to experience pain.</p><p>She wasn't a sadist; she didn't want anyone she killed to suffer, not the warlord she'd beheaded at ten and not the Krolotean she'd blown up below her.</p><p>Hero or villain; Ganthet was right, at the end of the day it didn't matter because they were two sides of the same coin, as long as she did what she had to and protected the innocent then she was okay. But she didn't feel okay; Arley stared down at the bits and pieces of the mech she had destroyed— and despite knowing that the Krolotean inside of it wanted to kill her and two people she considered family —and sucked in a shuddering breath because she didn't feel okay. She wasn't okay.</p><p>She'd never be okay.</p><p>And like Ganthet and Dinah had both said, perhaps that was okay— perhaps never being okay again after what she had done —was okay because it showed she cared, it showed how different she was from someone like the Joker or Sinestro; it showed she was still human.</p><p>An hour or so later, Aniell's voice floated through Arley's head;<em> You should head towards the mag-rail now, everything will be better the faster you're off this planet.</em></p><p>Arley didn't bother to correct her ring— nothing would ever be better; she was a killer who would always be hunted by the ghosts of her victims —and instead, with a hum began to make her way towards the rendezvous point under the mag-rail.</p><p>Arley, halfway to the mag-rail, felt the splinters of her mind that she'd been sharing snap back to her and though the Lantern sucked in a deep breath at the familiar feeling she stiffened nonetheless. M'gann wouldn't have needlessly dropped the mind-link; not while they were in the field and not of her own free will.</p><p>The ground beneath the tree Arley was in shook; the whole jungle shook.</p><p>Something was wrong, so, so wrong.</p><p>Arley turned in the direction she had come from— in the direction she knew the Kroloteanian compound to be —and took off, leaving a bright green contrails behind her as she zoomed through the Rannian jungle, only stopping when she ran into both Conner and Alanna.</p><p>"You're okay," Conner sighed as Arley threw her arms around him, glad he was safe.</p><p>"Thank Nortz," Arley said as she pulled away from the clone; "M'gann's been taken-Garth too probably." The clone's baby blue eyes hardened,</p><p>"I know," Conner said, "And now that you're here we can plan on how to get her-er," Conner blushed, "Them back." And though it was forced, Arley grinned at her brother; she turned to Alanna,</p><p>"You can sit this one out," Arley told her, not unkindly, "I don't want you getting hurt."</p><p>Alanna smirked; it reminded Arley of Zatanna and Rocket and the way both girls' eyes would spark mischievously when given an out they wouldn't take.</p><p>"What kind of jungle guide would I be if I allowed you and Superboy to wander it alone?"</p><p>The smirk Arley gave the Rannian native was much more genuine than her smile.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>With the sight of a looming spaceship hovering over the Rannian jungle Arley swiped the first Krolotean mech from the back of the line; Conner grabbed mech after that.</p><p>With a construct Arley rolled the mech she had absconded with into the jungle tree line before using a large crowbar she'd formed from her ring to begin splitting the mech open. Arley had only just started to crack the mech open when it opened on its own accord and the Krolotean that had been driving it jumped out from the mouth of mech and into the rope like constructs Arley had changed the crowbar too.</p><p>The ropes wrapped around the Kroloteans mouth; she wouldn't kill him just for the sake of the mission but she wouldn't allow him to break her or Connor or Alanna's covers. Arley heard Alanna's voice and then several blaster fires and then Conner's angry yell.</p><p>The binds that had wrapped around the Kroloteans mouth dissolved and the alien looked at Arley contemptuously; murderously.</p><p>"All those Kroloteans before, the ones that came on the zeta-platforms, they were the ones from Earth, right?"</p><p>The Krolotean didn't answer and though Arley didn't like playing the role of bad cop, but out in the jungle with no else to do Arley fixed a glare onto the small alien and forced her voice to be devoid of any emotion,</p><p>"You might want to tell me because pretty things don't happen when I get angry." The Krolotean growled and Arley willed the binds around him to tighten; the alien wiggled helpless in her grasp.</p><p>When the Guardians had declared War against the Yellow Lantern Corps four years ago Laira had taught Arley and dozens of other Lanterns wartime interrogation techniques; they weren't something Arley would ever use against a Krolotean but that didn't mean the Krolotean in her grasp knew that.</p><p>She could hear Conner destroying a mech and she could see the ship hovering over the Rannian jungle begin to fire, and even if it made Arley's gut twist and even if it made her feel sick to her stomach the Lantern knew she needed the information the Krolotean had as quickly as possible; she knew she needed to do what was necessary.</p><p>"I've been taught how to make even the strongest of Thanagrians talk, so spare yourself a lifetime of pain and tell me what I wish to know."</p><p>"If I don't?" The Krolotean hissed.</p><p>"I'll draw and quarter you," Arley replied blandly; "That's where I rip you limb from limb."</p><p>The Kroloteans' eyes closed; it hung its heads in defeat and Arley felt exactly like the foster parents who used to stand in front of her as a child and threaten to hurt her if she didn't do what they wanted. She felt her skin crawl under her uniform.</p><p>"What do you want to know?"</p><p>"The Kroloteans that appeared from the zeta platforms are the ones from Earth, right?"</p><p>"Yes," the alien hissed. She heard a crash and the spaceship that continued to rise above the Rannian jungle shook; Arley didn't need a mind-link to know that it was Conner and Garfield and M'gann causing the damage.</p><p>"And that was all of them? All the Kroloteans from Earth came back?"</p><p>"How would I know, you slaughtered them before we could take count—" Arley didn't flinch at the Kroloteans snarl, she didn't blink; she couldn't, not then, "—But perhaps. Or perhaps not, who could know when our forces lay dead."</p><p>Arley breathed; she focused on her mission, she needed the information, she couldn't rise to the Kroloteans bait.</p><p>"Why are you on Rann? How? Rannians are notoriously xenophobic and no offense you really don't look like you fit in around these parts," Arley snipped. "Nor like someone the Science Command would let land a secret base in their jungles."</p><p>"Money," The Krolotean said, "It makes every planet go 'round."</p><p>Fair enough; it wasn't as if the Krolotean was wrong.</p><p>"But why Rann? Was it just to steal from Sardath?" The Krolotean blinked and Arley snarled at the tiny alien, it squeaked as she flew closer; "I asked a question."</p><p>"Yes, we needed the Rannian's technology."</p><p>"To zeta-beam to the ship you guys have on Earth, why Earth?"</p><p>"Money makes every planet go 'round," the Krolotean repeated.</p><p><em>It was the Kroloteans posting about an interplanetary watch of the League.</em> Aniell said; Arley looked away from the Korlotean as her ring's voice floated through her head. <em>Ask about that. We need to know about that.</em></p><p>"The Justice League?" Arley wondered, "Why are they wanted criminals? What happened on Rimbor?"</p><p>The Krolotean glared darkly at Arley; the Lantern tightened the binds around him.</p><p>"Talk or I'll kill you." There was a ball in the back of Arley's throat, one that burned like red hot metal and made the Lantern want to cry; she wanted to vomit, but she couldn't, not when she had a duty to do, a mission to complete. Green Lanterns didn't fail, they were too stubborn— too willful —to fail their duty and Arley was a good Lantern; a good soldier.</p><p>"The Justice League are war criminals," The Krolotean hissed, "They attacked Rimbor for hours-nearly a day. They murdered dozens, traumatized children and crippled others. They raged war on Rimbor for no reason other than they could."</p><p>That sounded like Vandal Savage and something he would make others do while in his thrall; needless violence against the innocent was something he had over fifty thousand years perfecting.</p><p>"How'd you'd know it was them?" Arley wondered,</p><p>"They told us; warned us," The Krolotean hissed, "They were the Justice League from Earth and the galaxy should be aware, should fear them." The Krolotean said so almost mockingly and Arley jerked the alien up higher in the air causing the Kroloteans legs to kick out. Then she dropped him, unceremoniously to the ground; the Krolotean looked up at Arley from the crouched spot on the ground and Arley looked down at the Krolotean,</p><p>"I'm not going to kill you, you answered my questions."</p><p>The Krolotean didn't hesitate to take off through the jungle and Arley paused when her feet touched the ground.</p><p>Hero and villain; two sides of the same coin.</p><p>Arley breathed as she stepped forward; towards where she'd last scene her friends. M'gann had a sash in her hands and Conner and Garfield, both covered in soot smiled as Arley came into the jungle clearing.</p><p>"GL way to miss all the fun!" Garfield beamed; Arley didn't smile at the green teenager and instead focused on both Conner and M'gann. Above them the Krolotean spaceship disappeared into the Rannian atmosphere.</p><p>"We need to get back to Earth now," Arley said urgently; Conner's smile faded and Garfeild's dimmed. M'gann's eyes narrowed and her hand raised from her side; "I found out what happened on Rimbor."</p><p>Hero and villain; it was a line Arley felt herself toeing dangerously.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Two — Alienated</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"I exist in two places; here and where you are."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Recognized Adam Strange, A-one-one. Green Lantern B zero-two. Miss Martian B zero-six. Superboy B zero-five. Beastboy B-one-nine."</p><p>Everything was white, and then, as the light began to die and Arley and the others who had traveled to traveled to Rann with her stepped out of zeta tube and the S.T.A.R Lab Erdel Initiative came into vision Arley couldn't find it in herself to look up, at the four heroes and the S.T.A.R Labs scientist who were set to meet her and the others.</p><p>Conner kept a comforting hand on the space between Arley's shoulder blades.</p><p>"Nightwing!" Garfield cheered excitedly as he brushed past Adam Strange and M'gann, "Nightwing, check out my super cool alien souvenir!"</p><p>"Gar," M'gann said as she placed a green hand on her pseudo-brothers shoulder, "Business first."</p><p>"Noted," Garfield nodded. Dick, with his arms crossed over his chest, looked up at the heroes and Arley briefly made eye contact with one of her oldest friends; over his shoulder she saw John and Arley's eyes flitted down once more to the metal flooring beneath her feet.</p><p>Krolotean blood was such a dark purple it was practically black; that was a fact Arley never needed to know.</p><p>"Zeta squad, report," Dick said. M'gann squared her shoulders, her fingers curled into her palm and Arley could see the tension the Martian held in her back as she stood up straight in front of Dick and Captain Atom, Wonder Woman and John; in her nearly six years on Earth M'gann had only ever lead a handful of other missions.</p><p>"Our mission to neutralize the Krolotean zeta platforms on Rann was a success."  </p><p>"I've also brought back specs from Rann to create a zeta shield to prevent any more aliens from beaming to Earth off world," Adam Strange said, stepping up.</p><p>"How will that affect our own zeta capabilities?" Captain Atom wondered as Strange pulled out a Rannian holographic device to display the Earth and the zeta shield in relation to the Watchtower.</p><p>"It won't," Adam Strange told the Justice Leagues leader, "The shield will activate at an altitude above the Watchtowers orbit, League zeta tubes will still function normally."</p><p>Garfield turned to Arley; the green teenage hero grabbed the Lantern hand and pulled her forward, away from Conner.</p><p>"Tell them about Rimbor," Garfield said as he led Arley forward, closer to the Leaguers, "Tell them about the missing sixteen hours!"</p><p>Wonder Woman pivoted away from hologram Adam Strange was still displaying; John took two steps closer to Arley.</p><p>"I—" the words caught in Arley's throat; her stomach twisted and her gut churned. Being a killer was something Arley had made peace with; being a monster was something that she struggled to live with.</p><p>Wally and the Guardians, and the other heroes, always said she wasn't a monster, that what she always did was what she had to do but there was a reason she was called the Morningstar in space, why it was what the rest of the universe knew her as; the people— the aliens —of the planets she saved, and the aliens she fought alongside in the Corps, knew that when she went green—</p><p>That like the morning sun, when she went green a new day would start; that their enemies would fall. That she would kill them if needed to.</p><p>Arley breathed.</p><p>"I interrogated a Krolotean back on Rann. He and the other Kroloteans had paid off the Rannian Science Command-the Rannian government," Arley clarified, as she looked up at the heroes who hadn't come to the alien planet with her and the others. Dick nodded, Arley licked her lips, "To allow them to land a secret base in the Rannian jungle. Once there the Kroloteans stole zeta platform technology from Adam Strange's Rannian friend Sardath. From there they landed another ship on Earth and used the zeta platforms they stole to beam more Kroloteans to us. From there they began abducting and replacing humans-it's sort of unclear why, for money was all I got."</p><p>"But why Earth?" Captain Atom asked, "And what does any of this have to do with the sixteen hours?"</p><p>"Well back when Savage had control of your minds," Arley said looking at John and Wonder Woman, "It turns out he transported you to a planet called Rimbor. The six of you-the six Savage sent to Rimbor," Arley said to Dick and Captain Atom, "Spent sixteen hours on a rampage, laying waste to the plantes capital city. They attacked everything and everyone in sight and announced that they were the Justice League of Earth and that the rest of the galaxy should beware. That's why the Kroloteans came here, the League itself brought Earth to their attention."</p><p>Wonder Woman seemed to pale; Arley had never seen the Amazonian princess look so distraught. John looked horrified.</p><p>"I don't know what to say," Wonder Woman said, "I have no memories of this-none."</p><p>"Don't blame yourself," Captain Atom said to the founding League member, "It's not your fault, blame Savage and his Light. But John," Atom said as he turned to the older Lantern, "How is it you haven't heard of this intergalactic incident?"</p><p>John's brows knitted together; "No clue, Rimbor's not a planet in our sector"</p><p>"I do," Arley spoke up; the ball that's settled into her throat bobbed as the room turned to her, "Rimbor isn't in Guardian space-it's Tribunal territory. Us Lantern's aren't prohibited to travel there."</p><p>John nodded.</p><p>"I'll head to Oa then and talk to Guardians."</p><p>Arley paled.</p><p>"John are you sure?" Ever since Arley had told the council about the rings being sentient the Guardians had become more secretive, and ever since Siniestro had escaped the Prison Planet and began to gather his forces their decisions had become harsher— prisoners that would have once gone to the science cells were carted off to the Prison Planet and situations where deadly force wouldn't have been permitted were waved away —and the repercussions for oath breakers was no longer just banishment, not when Sinestro could pick them up the minute their Corps ring was off their finger.</p><p>John's lip quirked up.</p><p>"Of course I'm sure. The Guardians need to know." John turned to Captain Atom; "With Arley here on Earth she can serve as a teleline between us; but I promise Cap, the other's and I, we'll get to the bottom of why no one heard of a rogue Green Lantern in Tribunal territory."</p><p>"Okay." Captain Atom nodded, he turned to Arley and the other young heroes, "In the meantime, we still have a Krolotean invasion force to track down on Earth. You did good work on Rann, but now we need you at the Hall of Justice." </p><p><em>No</em>; Arley thought sorrowfully. She didn't want to be the person she had to be in the Rannian jungle, not again. But she would be, sooner or later Arley knew she would find herself back in that situation; after all she was a good soldier, she had been raised to be. </p><p>"I can't," Arley said almost meekly; she breathed and rolled her shoulders, "I used Lantern Corps interrogation methods on the Krolotean."</p><p>Sort of; Laira had taught Arley and the others when the war first started how to make even the toughest of Thanagrians talk and while she hadn't implemented those measures back on Rann she had threatened too; she would have had to if the Krolotean hadn't started to talk.</p><p>John sucked in a sharp breath of air; Captain Atoms brows knitted together.</p><p>"I don't know what that means," the man said.</p><p>"That means you'll have more luck with Miss Martian interrogating the Krolotean we have at the Hall," John replied as he looked at Arley. John looked gutted; he looked guilty and upset and Arley looked away, unable to stand the heavy look that had settled in the eyes of her father figure.</p><p>It wasn't his fault she had to bear the burden she did; it wasn't Hal's or anyone else's, it was just the will of the universe.</p><p>Captain Atom pressed his lips together and looked at M'gann; "You're up for it?" M'gann smiled brightly at the Justice Leagues leader, her chin tilted up. Conner however, crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head in M'gann's direction.</p><p>"Yes sir."</p><p>…</p><p>Though Arley knew that it would only be a few hours until M'gann got a location from the Krolotean the League had at Mount Justice and Batman came up with an attack plan the Lantern didn't bother waiting around the Watchtower or Cave for that to happen; instead she flew home to Palo Alto.</p><p>With a heavy heart, Arley could hear Bodie barking as she— in jeans and a sweater; not her uniform —approached the stairs on the outside of her apartment and she could smell Mary Wests sauce cooking through the open kitchen window.</p><p>Arley— as she climbed the stairs outside her apartment, with her duffle bag over her shoulder —couldn't help but feel undeserving; she didn't deserve to have a happy vulpimancer to come home to, she didn't deserve to have Artemis as a best friend or as a roommate because she couldn't always help Wally with bills and she didn't deserve Wally.</p><p>She didn't deserve his love.</p><p>Arley opened the apartment door and Bodie bounded forth; his large orange bear-like paws pounced on Arley's shoulder's, knocking the Lantern back with a smile as her hands moved up to scratch the top of his head and the underside of his jaw.</p><p>"Hey baby boy," Arley cooed with a sigh, "Yes I'm home-yes I am."</p><p>Arley pushed the Vulpimancer off of her and shooed him back into the house; excitedly, Bodie ran around in a circle as Arley stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind her.</p><p>There was a gust of wind that had come from the inside of the apartment and Arley looked up to see Wally, still dressed in the button up and slack he usually had to wear when he worked at the university lab. The first three buttons of the shirt were popped open and Wally had rolled the sleeves up; there was an off red sauce stain on the speedsters forearm.</p><p>Wally's hands settled on Arley's waist and Arley's head thumped against the speedsters chest as her own arms wound around his waist, her eyes shut as she breathed in the speedsters body wash; sea grass and driftwood. Wally pressed a kiss to the top of Arley's head and the Lantern tightened her hold on him. Arley pressed her weight against Wally and leaned limply against the red head; she should relish the feeling of being in his arms— and she did —but she didn't feel like she deserved it. She didn't feel like she was worthy of it; of him.</p><p>"Welcome home, babe," Wally said into her hair.</p><p>Arley let out a hum as she tried to ignore the burning she felt behind her eyelids.</p><p>She was home safe in the arms of the man she loved and all she could think about was the smoldering wreckage she left behind in the Rannian jungle. The wreckage that was the Krolotean base came to mind and the fear in the Kroloteans' eyes as she held him for questioning made the Lantern queasy.</p><p>"Thank you for coming back," Wally said into her hair.</p><p>"No way I don't come back to you," Arley said wetly into the speedsters shirt, "I love you."</p><p>"I love you too," Wally said. Arley wanted to say how she didn't deserve it but it was a moot point— they'd both been over it countless times over the years; Wally had said it enough over the years that Arley had it engraved into her brain —she didn't get to say what Wally deserved, Arley could feel like she didn't deserve him but it wasn't her decision anymore than what she deserved was his decisions.</p><p>"Hey," Wally said, he tipped Arley's head up so that her watery eyes would meet his, "Mom's sauce has to simmer for a while and Artemis is covering for a coworker tonight-you, look like you could use a hot shower."</p><p>He didn't ask about the mission he just saw the strings she was clinging to and decided to take care of her; Wally West was handsome and he was smart but it was his kindness Arley had fallen in love with at thirteen and it was his kindness that made her fall in love with him all over every day after that.</p><p>"Okay," Arley nodded. Wally pushed her duffle bag off her shoulder and placed it on the coffee table as she pushed Arley into the small apartment bathroom by her shoulders.</p><p>The walls were a dark blue and the two twenty-one year olds barely had room to maneuver around the small bathroom; Arley sat on the closed toilet as Wally turned on the shower. The speedster turned to Arley,</p><p>"Do you want me to call Dinah after this?" Wally wondered as Arley kicked off her shoes and socks; Wally began to fully unbutton his shirt. Arley shook her head,</p><p>"I have to see her Monday about my clinical hours," Arley said as she stood to slip off her pants, "I'll talk to her then."</p><p>Because, more often than not being a hero interfered with their day-to-day lives, League members helped one another out when they could; Bruce Wayne had bought the Daily Planet so that Clark Kent wouldn't lose his job due to Superman related business and Guy Gardner regularly employed teen heroes at the dinner he had opened the year before in Manhattan, so when Arley had found out that on top of a Bachelors she was required to have thirty-two hundred hours of supervised clinical work experience to become a registered Social Worker in California, she had gone to Dinah because if anyone could make her clinical work schedule work around the one she had as a Lantern and hero of Earth it was Black Canary.</p><p>Steam began to fill the bathroom and as Arley slipped her sweater over her head Wally dropped his slacks and boxers into a pile on the floor.</p><p>"Do you want to talk to me about it?" Wally asked kindly as he stepped into the shower first; the speedster tensioned under the hot spray before moving over so that Arley could join him; the couple's bare chests pressed together.</p><p>Arley shrugged; she was scared too, because what if she said something and Wally finally saw her the way she saw herself? What if he looked down at her and saw the same endless sea of red she woke up screaming about most nights?</p><p>"Hey," Wally said softly, his head bowed forward and the water that'd been hitting the top of Arley's head cascaded down his neck, "I'm not going to judge you-whatever happened on the mission, you need to do it, right?" Arley nodded, "Then how can I judge you?"</p><p>Arley's lip quivered.</p><p>"I-" the words were on the tip of her tongue, Arley didn't bother to hold back her tears, "We blew up the Kroloteans compound like we were supposed to but, Wally, they zeta-beamed back just as they were about to blow. They weren't supposed to be on the platforms when we did it."</p><p>"Oh Babe," Wally said.</p><p>"I killed one of them," Arley whispered, "They shot Conner and all I thought about was protecting him, we had a civilian with us—"</p><p>"—You don't need to rationalize your decision to me, never to me," Wally said cupping Arley's face; her voice had turned frantic in the explanation, she had needed him to know why she had done what she did, how it wasn't just an act of cold blooded murder.</p><p>The Kroloteans' fearful eyes when Arley had threatened to rip them limb from limb played through her head.</p><p>"I had to-we needed the information and I had the Krolotean tied up anyway. I didn't hurt them."</p><p>She had only threatened to.</p><p>Arley let out a sob; she was disgusted at herself. Being a Lantern had always meant being a soldier but with war and blood all she ever saw anymore— the carnage the Sinestro Corps left behind as they tried to seize control of planet or posed an attack on a group of Lanterns flying through space —it was hard to remember what side she was on; it was hard to remember the good she did and had already done.</p><p>Wally nodded and he brought Arley closer to his chest; one of his hands cradled the back of her neck as his lips pressed against the crown of her head.</p><p>…</p><p>Arley and Wally sat on the couch with Bodie beneath their feet, their empty bowls of pasta and the dishes Wally had used to cook were washed and put away and the two young adults' homework was scattered around them; their textbooks were piled high on the coffee table.</p><p>"Please remind me why I'm taking Vietnamese as my language?" Wally wondered;</p><p>"Because you're a nerd and you thought if Artemis and I can have a conversation in Vietnamese you should be able to join," Arley answered with a small smile. The skin on her face was still puffy and the whites of her eyes were still red, but she felt lighter since crying into Wally's chest.</p><p>Dinah was right, holding it in helped no one.</p><p>"Nerd?" Wally said overdramatically, he pressed a hand to his chest, "My own girlfriend-I'm a nerd?"</p><p>Arley let out a giggle and moved the laptop she was using to take her classes on to the coffee table, on top of her psychology textbook.</p><p>The Lantern leaned over the speedster and pressed her lips to Wally's; the book the speedster had been writing on slipped between him and the couch cushions and the pen he had been holding had dropped to the floor in favor of allowing Wally to thread his fingers through Arley's hair as he deepened the kiss.</p><p>Arley's phone rang from the kitchen counter just as Wally's tongue was swept across her bottom lip; the couple groaned.</p><p>"Don't answer it," Wally said as she pressed another kiss to her lips. Arley's nails raked down Wally's chest, over the shirt he was wearing— electing a moan from the speedster —only to pull away.</p><p>"I can't," she said against Wally's lips, "It could be important."</p><p>"Or it could be Artemis asking if we want pizza."</p><p>"Which is also important," Arley said as she pulled away. A hand formed from Arley's ring and a moment later returned with her phone; Arley looked down at the caller-id. "It's Dickie."</p><p>Wally's lips pressed together as Arley slid her finger across the screen and answered it.</p><p>"Hey Dick."</p><p>"M'gann got the location of Kroloteans base, Bats wants everyone to meet up at the cave." </p><p>"Everyone?" Arley blinked.</p><p>"Superman's coming; John's not back yet but the other four who attacked Rimbor are coming too."</p><p>Arley nodded; though Superman and Conner had gotten close over the years and Arley often found herself on the Kent family farm in Smallville with the clone, Arley could— in the thirteen years she had the ring —count the number of times she fought alongside Wonder Woman and the Man of Steel on both hands.</p><p>"Right, I'll be to you soon." The call ended with that and Arley looked at Wally. The speedster looked at Arley with a crease between his brows and a worried glint in his eyes.</p><p>"You'll be okay?" Wally worried, Arley flashed a forced smile, one that made Wally's shoulder sag.</p><p>"I'm a Green Lantern Handsome, I'll be fine." Wally pressed a kiss to Arley's lips; it was chaste and meaningful, one that had the Lantern's breath catch in her throat. When he pulled away and Arley was left looking into Wally's eyes the speedster looked at her seriously.</p><p>"I don't care about the mission or what might happen or what you might have to do, come back to me, just like this." It wasn't a request, it was a plea, one he always said before Arley walked out the door. </p><p>"As if I could ever leave you Wally West."</p><p>…</p><p>Arley was with the others in the bio-ship as they approached Malinia Island under the cover of night.</p><p>"Remember," Batman told everyone, "This is primarily a recon mission, we want to discover all we can about the Kroloteans invasion strategy before we shut them down and deliver them to the Green Lantern Corps."</p><p>Tim, the newest Robin, looked over his shoulder at Arley, who stood behind the captain's chair Nightwing was in; Arley smiled at the newest bird and Tim, timidly smiled back at her. Batgirl peaked over her shoulder and Arley, with a roguish grin rolled her eyes in Batman's direction, they all already knew what they had to do.</p><p>Batgirl bit her lip and turned back around.</p><p>"Lantern stop rolling your eyes at me."</p><p>Barbra let out a loud snicker and Arley's shoulders dropped, Guy and Hal were right, Batman wasn't human.</p><p>"Sorry Bats," Arley half-heartedly apologized; Batman let out a huff.</p><p>"Approaching drop zone Beta," Nightwing called out. Arley turned to watch Both Lagoon-boy and Aquaman drop from the hole in the bio-ship Nightwing made appear and down into the waters of the Pacific.</p><p>Nightwing circled around the island; the bio-ship arched over the island's volcano.</p><p>"Drop zone gamma." Nightwing said as the bio-ship came to a stop outside the front of the Kroloteans base. Batman was the first to drop from the bio-ship; Arley, with Batgirl in her arms was the next to fall through the hole in the bio-ship floor, after them Robin and then Nightwing dropped into the island jungle.</p><p>Arley and the Bats paused outside the large doors; it wasn't Kroloteans guarding the base but rather henchmen in familiar looking garb. Arley turned to Nightwing, her brows raised, as if to ask <em>When does Manta hire out his help?</em></p><p>There was no mind-link established but neither young adult needed one to read the other, they had known each other for over half their lives.</p><p>Nightwing shrugged; Batman's hand moved to the five guards standing in front of the large metal door to the base and then his hand moved over to the lone guard that was moving up the mountainside.</p><p>Batman moved to disappear into the jungle brush and Robin knocked his elbow against Arley's arm as Nightwing and Batgirl disappeared in the opposite direction. Arley's lips pressed together as her feet lifted off the ground.</p><p>"I hate when you guys do that," Arley hissed to Robin as they moved to the guards; Nightwing and Batgirl had already knocked three of them out, Arley flew behind one of the two left standing and wrapped her forearm around their neck, locking it behind her other arm the same way Kilowog had shown her.</p><p>The Black Manta henchmen in her arms dropped unconscious just as the one Robin had gotten to hit the jungle floor. Arley looked at the younger boy and nodded her head in his direction, he was different then Jason— Arley's heart clenched at the memory of the second Robin; Jason had been a sweet kid Arley hadn't wasted any time in taking under her wing, they'd both been Gotham street rats before they'd become heroes and there'd been a certain kinship there —less aggressive in his fighting style.</p><p>"Nice work baby bird," Arley nodded as she followed Nightwing and Batgirl up the side of the volcanic rock. Robin lagged behind her,</p><p>"Don't call me that," Robin pouted and Arley silently snickered as she folded her body and followed Nightwing and Batgirl into a vent Batgirl had dismantled. The four of them quickly dropped out of the vent once inside the volcano base.</p><p>Arley dropped down first, if only to see if she could make sense of anything she heard the Kroloteans saying; Nightwing dropped down after her. Batgirl dropped to Arley's left and Robin dropped on Nightwings right; Nightwing held a fist up, Arley watched as he then held up two fingers and then a flattened out hand, signaling for them to move.</p><p>Nightwing went with Batgirl and Arley went with Robin. Below Arley could make out Black Manta walking the length of the Krolotean ship. Arley followed Robin to a computer and as the younger boy plugged a wire from his gauntlet into it the Lantern pressed her back against his, guarding him.</p><p>"There!" Someone shouted and Arley's eyes widened as she looked around to see what guard had spotted them—if a guard had spotted them and not the others —and saw two henchmen in Black Manta gear raising their guns at her and Robin.</p><p>Arley threw up her shield.</p><p>"Hurry up there Rob," she told him as the henchmen fired. Their blasts bounced off of the Lanterns shield, but the structure under their feet shook.</p><p>"I need another minute," Robin said just as the rafter they were under crumbled beneath their feet. Arley's arm went around Robin's waist as she yanked the falling boy to the side; her shield still up.</p><p>Batman dropped from the vent he had crawled through and onto the second henchmen firing at them; he then kicked his leg out and the henchmen stopped firing at Arley and Robin turned only to be kicked into the wall behind him.</p><p>Arley dropped her shield and Robin moved away from her so that he could take out his bo staff; Batman threw a batarang at another henchmen which Batgirl and Nightwing attacked two others.</p><p>Arley caught sight of a crowd of Kroloteans watching two henchmen fire into the water where Aquaman and Lagoon-boy were.</p><p>"Got these guys?" Arley asked Robin as he motioned her head to the henchmen that ran above them, Robin nodded,</p><p>"Go."</p><p>Arley did; as Aquaman and Lagoon-boy jumped out of the water and attacked the henchmen that had been firing at them Arley settled down behind Black Manta's fallen men, in front of the Kroloteans. She wasn't going to kill them; she wasn't going to torture or threaten them, she wasn't even going to arrest them, just take them to the rest of the people in Arisia's sector, and yet the Krolotean that Arley landed closest to stumbled back, away from her.</p><p>"The Earthlings found us!" Another Krolotean screamed;</p><p>"Yeah we did, now you're all in violation of Guardian law, submit peacefully and you will be returned with the other Kroloteans who are stationed over Rann unharmed," Arley shouted loudly over the sound of the mechs wielding the ship behind the Kroloteans, blaster fire and the excited Krolotean chatter.</p><p>"Use the Mechs!" The Krolotean closest to Arley shouted.</p><p>The Lantern let out a huff as she glared down at the Krolotean in front of her. The mechs that had been wielding bits and pieces to the Krolotean ship jumped from the spacecraft and landed in front of Arley who used her ring to form a medieval shield on her arm. The blasters on them locked onto Arley and the Lantern grimaced.</p><p>Just like criminals on Earth they didn't make things easy.</p><p>"Right no," Arley muttered to herself as she threw her shield up in front of her when the first mech took fire, "Of course not, why would guys come peacefully?"</p><p>The blaster fire hitting her shield sent Arley two steps back only for Lagoon-boy, whose body has swelled up, tripling his size to come out of the air and land on the mech to the left, exploding it, most definitely killing the Krolotean trapped inside of it.</p><p>"No!" Arley screeched; her construct dropped and before she could race forward the second mech shot Arley across the room and into the rocky walls of the base. Arley hit the floor with a groan.</p><p>Arley looked up to see the second mech turned to fire at Lagoon-boy who was still in the rubble of the mech he had destroyed and Arley fired at the blaster on top of the mech— not the machine or the Krolotean inside of it —blowing it up. Smoke swirled from where the blaster had been and the Krolotean inside the mech opened the machine up with a scream and jumped out of it; rushing away from Lagoon-boy and in the opposite direction of Arley.</p><p>Arley pushed herself up off the floor and rushed forward to where M'gann's new boyfriend was; with one hand she helped the Atlantean up to his feet. Breathlessly Arley's eyes scanned the bits and pieces of mech as she looked for the mech's technician; the Krolotean who had driven the mech could still be alive. But when she found a large pool of dark purple blood seeping out from under a piece of fiery metal Arley's heart clenched. The Lantern turned and dragged the Atlantean away from the heat of the wreckage and closer to the water.</p><p>"Thanks!" Lagoon-boy said cheerily, once more his normal size as he moved away from Arley. HE didn't even know what he had done; Arley opened her mouth to tell him only for both herself and Lagoon-boy to roll in separate directions in order to avoid a hit from one of Manta's men.</p><p>Across the room Aquaman laid on the ground; Arley looked to Lagoon-boy,</p><p>"I'll take care of these guys, you help Aquaman," she told the gilled teen and Lagoon-boy nodded. Arley fired a blast of energy from her ring in the direction of Manta's men so that she could draw their fire and Lagoon-boy could get to Aquaman.</p><p>The bat Arley had formed with her ring hit the mouth of the henchmen's gun, knocking it up into the air; Arley swung her bat into the henchmen's gut and then brought her knee up into the glass of the henchmen's mask, knocking him out.</p><p>Lagoon-boy destroyed another mech, one that had surrounded Aquaman. A laser fired through the volcano's rock and destroyed the mech behind the Atlantean king; Superboy, in Superman's arms flew into the base and Wonder Woman and her protégé Wonder Girl flew in after.</p><p>Arley smiled at the young man she thought of as a brother.</p><p>"Nice if you to finally join," Arley snarked. Superman said something to Aquaman; the Kryptonian shrugged.</p><p>"My ride was slow," Superboy joked.</p><p>"Hey!" Superman rebuked, Superboy's smile slipped as he looked over at the man he was cloned from; Arley saw a Krolotean hanging from a broken rafter, two more Kroloteans pulled at the dangling aliens hands.</p><p>Arley didn't think, she just flew towards the dangling Krolotean; the Kroloteans who were helping the dangling alien screeched at the sight of her and ran from their comrade.</p><p>"Superman triple combo!" Arley heard Superboy shout; Arley formed a hand from her ring and grabbed the Krolotean around the waist— the Krolotean kicked and screeched as it was lifted in the air, just as the one back on Rann had —and deposited the Krolotean onto a sturdy piece of rafter.</p><p>Several small explosions rocked the base; Arley didn't need to turn to know it was the mechs.</p><p>The Krolotean Arley had turned to her, uncertainty shining in their eyes.</p><p>"Get to safety," Arley told the alien, "After this I'll be escorting you and your people to your ship above Rann."</p><p>"Liar," The Krolotean hissed, "You wear the mark of a killer, you stand with killers-kill me now."</p><p>Acid shot up Arley's throat.</p><p>"I'm not going to kill you," Arley told the alien before she turned and flew off, Arley caught sight of Wonder Girl holding the part of a mech which contained a Krolotean; the Lantern formed a baseball mitt from her ring when Wonder Girl threw the bit of mech down at a second.</p><p>"Hey!" Wonder Girl shouted, "What gives!" Arley looked sharply at the demi-god and set the bit of mech on the ground; the Krolotean inside of it stumbled out and Wonder Girls blue eyes widened. "Oh."</p><p>"We're here to get them off Earth, not slaughter them," Arley said sternly, "Treat them as you would humans, alright?"</p><p>Wonder Girl nodded and she dropped out of the sky and onto the back of the mech she had meant to destroy, leaving the mech unusable. With an angry screech and several alien swears in the blondes direction the Krolotean who had been moving it popped out of the front and shook it's fist at Wonder Girl.</p><p>Arley flew between the blasts coming from Manta's men and the Kroloteans and the wilds laser beams that Superman shot from his eyes, only to stop mid-air as Aquaman punched Manta, knocking his helmet off, because it wasn't David Hyde who lifted his head as he stood; no, it was Kaldur, the boy Arley had known for years, the one she wouldn't have ever second guessed in entrusting her life too.</p><p>Months ago Dick had told the team but none of them had thought it was true; it was easier for Arley to believe that Dick had gotten bad intel then believe Kaldur had switched sides.</p><p>Arley settled on the ground behind Aquaman, her mouth open in disbelief.</p><p>When they'd been younger Kaldur had been the boy who help would get Arley to gather all her courage up so that she could confess to Wally only to take her out for ice cream when she chickened out, he was the boy who could rival Arley in stories about boot camp— because before either of them were heroes they were soldiers —and he was a boy Arley thought of as family.</p><p>"I had not believed Nightwing until this moment," Aquaman said in a whisper.</p><p>"You did not want to believe!" Kaldur shouted back.</p><p>"None of us wanted to believe this! How could you betray us!" Superboy snapped as he stormed over, his arm was pressed against Arley's. Kaldur had been as much Superboy's family as he had been Arley's.</p><p>"You dare question me!" Kaldur shouted, "After all of you let Tula die!" Kaldur drew his waterbarers forward and formed twin dual swords, Arley didn't form anything with her ring; how could she? How could she ever raise her ring to someone she loved? To someone she had spent years thinking of as family; it would be no diffrent then if she raised her ring against Hal or Conner.</p><p>Nightwing dropped down in front of Aquaman, Lagoon-boy, Arley and Superboy; his shoulders squared. Nightwing had known Kaldur just as long as Arley had, just as long as Wally and Roy had. </p><p><em>This is going to kill Wally,</em> Arley thought.</p><p>"Kaldur, that was a mission! Aquagirl knew the risks. No one—" Nightwing said, only to be cut off by Lagoon-boy.</p><p>"—Neptune's beard! Don't coddle this traitor! He has joined forces with our kings greatest enemy!"</p><p>"Do you mean the king who hid from me the true identity of my father?" Kaldur snapped. Kaldur's foot slid out as he prepared himself for battle.</p><p>"That was my error in judgement Kaldur'ahm," Aquaman said, "No one else needs to suffer for it." Kaldur glared.</p><p>"All will suffer if Black Manta demands it. Blood is thicker than sea water." The suit Kaldur wore opened up and a small smile fired forward; Arley raised her ring to form a shield in front of Nightwing only for Superman to slide forward, away from where he was and take the small missile to the chest.</p><p>Smoke bellowed around Arley and the other heroes, and when it cleared Kaldur nor Nightwing and Superboy were anywhere to be found. Arley spotted a large hole in the rock behind where Kaldur had backed himself up to and moved to follow only to be side tracked by a mech that fired her way.</p><p>Superman raised his head to shoot a laser beam at them; Arley formed a shield around herself, the Man of Steel, Aquaman and Lagoon-boy.</p><p>"There's Kroloteans in there!" Arley snapped; there'd been enough bloodshed, there didn't need to be anymore. Superman's face fell at the Lantern's declaration; the Kryptonian paled. "I'll deal with the mech's, you guys just sort out Manta's men."</p><p>Superman nodded and Arley dropped her shield; Lagoon-boy rushed towards the Manta flyer in the water and Arley formed a bat with her ring as she evaded each shot the Krolotean mech fired her way. Arley drove through the bat through the front glass of the mech and then, when her hand was through the glass— and her construct had dissolved —she grabbed the Krolotean driving the mech by the sash they wore around their body and pulled the tiny alien out of the machinery.</p><p>"Let me go!" The Krolotean shouted as he clawed at Arley's wrist. The Kroloteans legs kicked out as Arley flew up to the rafters and deposited the alien onto the metal.</p><p>"Stay here, I'm coming back," Arley snapped; she had only turned around, away from the Krolotean when Nightwings voice came through the com in her ear.</p><p>"There's a bomb down here," Nightwing said, "Alien tech, I can't disarm it."</p><p>"Maybe I can," Arley said into the com-link, "Aniell can scan and tell me how to disable it."</p><p>"No," Nightwing said, "There's two minutes left-all squads evacuate to bio-ship, now."</p><p>Batman's cape trailed behind him as he ran after Batgirl and Robin towards the exit and Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl scooped up both Lagoon-boy and Aquaman before carrying them out of the hole Superman had made to burst into the base, leaving just Arley and Superman in the Volcanic base.</p><p>"Listen-listen to me!" Superman demanded the Kroloteans that had taken cover from the fire fight poked their heads out, one of them yelled.</p><p>"The Meta's flee! Victory is at hand!" There was that word again, meta. Arley didn't have time to dwell.</p><p>"There is a bomb!" Arley shouted to the Kroloteans, "And it will kill you all!"</p><p>"We're not trying to hurt you!" Superman shouted just as loud as Arley, "Please listen to us! There's too many of you to carry individually but if you board your ship Green Lantern and I will carry you to safety."</p><p>A mech fired in Superman and Arley's direction and Superman flew in front of Arley, protecting her from the mech's attack.</p><p>"Fire at the criminal and their accomplice!" A Krolotean shouted, pointed at Superman and Arley.</p><p>"Listen!" Arley shouted from behind Superman; the Kryptonian knocked Arley back lightly as he was pushed back from the mech's fire. "There is a bomb!"</p><p>"Please!" Superman begged and then suddenly the world around them exploded. Superman turned to wrap Arley in his arms— he buried her face against his chest and curled his arms around her back as he took the brunt of the blow —and Arley felt fire race up her arm from where her ring was as Melania Island blew up around them.</p><p>The last thing Arley could remember seeing was green.</p><p>…</p><p>Arley woke up in Mount Justice Cave medical bay with Wally at her side— her hand was clasped tightening in between his —and John and the other Lantern that worked alongside Arley in their sector half asleep in the chairs they had pulled around her bed.</p><p>The last thing she remembered was green, which wasn't uncommon when Aniell unlocked her full potential as a Lantern and allowed Arley to go green, but— Arley knitted her brows together —she couldn't remember why she had gone green.</p><p>"What the kriffing fuck happened?" Arley croaked; her throat hurt as she spoke and her mouth felt unbelievably dry. Wally's head snapped up; there were tears in his eyes and the tip of his nose was red.</p><p>"Babe!"</p><p>"Kid!" Hal got to his feet; he knocked Guy Gardeners heel off the edge of Arley's bed and the red headed Lantern jolted forward. Hal leaned over Arley and rested his hand on the top of her head.</p><p>"What the hell's going on!" Arley winced and her adoptive father picked his hand up off of her head. John turned to say something lowly to Guy and the red headed Lantern got to his feet; he paused and looked at Arley, when Arley met Guy Gardeners baby blues the red headed Lantern winked at the girl.</p><p>"Good to see your eyes, Nightlight," Guy said before he walked out of the medbay.</p><p>"Hey Handsome," Arley smiled lazily at the speedster, her eyes flickered up to Hal. "Hey Hal-why am I in the medbay?"</p><p>"Because you gave us a hell of a scare kid," Hal answered. </p><p><em>What scare?</em> Arley asked her ring; no reply came.</p><p>"I'm twenty-one, I'm not a kid," Arley mumbled automatically as she tried to recall what scare Hal was talking about.</p><p>"Please," Hal scoffed playful as Arley's brows knitted themselves together, "You'll always be my kid."</p><p>Arley frowned; <em>Aniell?</em></p><p>Arley looked up at the fore men that surrounded her bedside. Green Lantern Rings had a life span of twenty-four hours, which begged the question; "How long have I been out?"</p><p>"Three days-almost four," John answered over Hal's shoulder and Arley jolted upright in her bed— her hand was still in his as he did so —Hal pressed his hand against Arley's shoulder and Wally had jumped to his feet.</p><p>"What do you mean I've been out for three days-what happened to me!" Panic flooded Arley's veins; what had happened to her that caused her to be unconscious for nearly four days?</p><p>"You seriously don't remember?" John asked, Arley's frown deepened.</p><p>"No," She told him, "I remember green-something happened, that's all I know."</p><p>"Think back," Hal said softly, "Malina island," Arley's sector leader led, "There was a bomb—"</p><p>"—The Kroloteans," Arley breathed as her memories came back to her, a leaden weight settled in Arley's stomach, "Please tell me they got out."</p><p>Hal and Wally looked away from Arley and red hot tears bubbled in the Lanterns' eyes.</p><p>"That's not your fault kid," Hal said determinedly as he looked back at her, "Clark told us you both stayed behind to try and get them out."</p><p>"They still died," Arley whispered, she shook her head, "I should have made them listen."</p><p>"Babe," Wally said as he sat on the sliver of bed near Arley's hip, "That's not on you-Superman said they attacked you when you guys were trying to save them, you couldn't have done anything else."</p><p>But she should have, she should have figured out a way to save them; she was a Green Lantern.</p><p>Arley pressed her lips together and looked at her and Wally's jointed hands;</p><p>"Hey," the speedster said as he got closer, "You did everything you could to save the Kroloteans."</p><p>"I know, but, still," Arley said quietly. Wally cupped her cheek and though it hurt Arley didn't move away from the warmth of his palm. Wally's eyes were wet from crying and the emerald color of his iris' looked almost luminescent.</p><p>"But nothing, you did what you could; everything else, that's not on you." Wally West didn't lie to her; everything else in the universe could be a lie but at the end of the day whatever came out of Wally West's mouth was the truth and yet Arley struggled to believe the words the speedster was telling her.</p><p>"Okay," Arley said, if only to move away from the Korloteans deaths weren't on her— because they were, she was a Green Lantern, it was her job to save people —and the Lantern moved her own bandaged hand to cover Wally's.</p><p>"I'm sorry if I scared you-all of you," Arley said.</p><p>"You should be, you almost gave your old men a heart attack," John said.</p><p>"Old?" Hal scoffed, "Who're you calling old-I'm still in my prime thank you."</p><p>"You're almost forty Jordan, what kind of prime is that?" John snipped back with a smirk. Arley, with a faint smile turned away from two of her father figures and to Wally.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she said again, "I know Dickie calling probably scared you—"</p><p>"—Babe," Wally breathed, cutting her off, "When I saw who was calling me I thought the worst, you being here in this bed? You came back to me, don't be sorry for that."</p><p>Love; Arley Gluck loved the young man in front of her and though she didn't deserve his love there was nothing in the universe she would trade it for.</p><p>…</p><p>A little over two weeks later Arley found herself on the beach outside of Mount Justice cave, surrounded by the sidekicks and ex-sidekicks of the six heroes Vandal Savage had, five years ago sent to the planet Rimbor.</p><p>Hawkgirl— who hadn't looked the same since Hawkman's death two years ago —looked almost small as she stood next to Captain Atom, the Thanagraians wings were tightly pressed together behind her.</p><p>Arley stood with John several feet away from Hawkgirl and Captain Atom; Karma-Tui Stewart, John's wife and a fellow Lantern stood next to her husband, her and John's hands were locked together.</p><p>"You'll be fine right? Like you'll come home?" Arley worried; John set his free hand on Arley's shoulder.</p><p>"With Icon in our corner, how could we not?" John said, "Besides the Guardians met with the Tribunal so they know I didn't cross into their territory of my own free will and Guy and Hal are making sure the High Court on Rimbor knows we come in peace and expect a fair trial, so I don't see anyone taking us showing back up the wrong way and trying to blast us out of the sky when we get there."</p><p>"I'll miss you," Arley said, she looked at Katma; Katma had been like a mother to Arley for years— Arley's mother Maria had been attacked by the Joker when she had been a toddler and gassed with Joker venom leaving the young mother in a cationic state —especially after her own mother had died of a stroke four years ago, "Both of you."</p><p>Katma wrapped an arm around Arley and tucked the twenty-one year old under her chin; Katma and John had never been able to have children, the closest they had ever had was Arley.</p><p>"We'll miss you but we'll call with updates and if John is convicted I'm sure you'd be up to helping me break him out."</p><p>Arley snickered at Katma's comment.</p><p>"That's not funny Kat," John grumbled with a faint smile of his own. Arley stepped back, away from Katma and threw her arms around John's neck, hugging him tightly. John rubbed the length of the girls back comfortingly. "Everything's going to work out fine, trust me." </p><p>"I hate being on the other side of that," the girl grumbled with a snort as she detangled herself from the other Lantern.</p><p>"Now you know how the rest of us feel when you and Jordan say it," John said as he swiped the top of Arley's head. John then stepped back; "Kat and I'll call you and the others with updates."</p><p>"Love you two."</p><p>"Love you too kiddo," John replied.</p><p>"Love you," Katma said.</p><p>"Alright time to go!" John said and the six other heroes who were going to Rimbor said their final goodbyes before crowding around John. Arley took several feet back as John and Katma raised their glowing rings to the sky and a plane— much like the ones Hal flew for work —formed from the inside out; Arley could see each and every nut and bolt that made his construct work.</p><p>Arley's shoulder knocked against Dicks as the plane's engines swirled and the construct lifted off the ground; Dick's hand gripped Arley's wrist and squeezed. Far more quickly then any jet plane on Earth could move the construct flew off into the atmosphere; Arley and the others stood there on the beach outside the Mount Justice Cave watching until they could no longer see the green glow of the construct.</p><p>Captain Atom was the first to turn back inside; Conner and M'gann followed after and one by one the sidekicks went back inside until it was just Dick and Arley out on the beach; Arley turned to the former boy wonder.</p><p>"So what did you want to talk about?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Three — Salvage</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"You've been my friend, and that in itself is a tremendous thing."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It's Christmas time and Arley could remember living a life she's sure she'd never experienced, but as she settled by a fireplace she's known she's seen before but can't ever remember actually being near, the life she's lived seemed more like reality; it seemed like a familiar echo.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hal and John were arm in arm with bright red Santa hats on top of their heads as they sang carols loudly over the radio— both Lanterns had large mugs of spiked eggnog in their hands —and Guy's head had poked out of the kitchen to join them, he had a red chefs hat that had a bell on the very top. Katma and Kilowog sat in the corner of the room laughing at whatever story Carol had been telling them; Carol's hands waved around in the air as she spoke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hanukkah</em>
  <em> decorations still litter the living room bending in with the Christmas ones as— this year —the two holidays overlapped, a string of blue and silver stars of David were wrapped around the Christmas tree like garland and several of the gifts under the sparkling tree were wrapped in Hanukkah wrapping paper as opposed to the Santa covered Christmas papers.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Conner and M'gann are wrapped up in each others embrace— Arley can't remember them getting back together, she knows they did years ago, but she can't remember it ever actually happening —as they cuddled on the loveseat and Dick and Artemis debated something as Kaldur oversaw and made sure nothing got too out of hand; the last time someone hadn't bothered to watched Dick and Artemis debate police procedure a lamp had been accidently broken and the former team of teenage heroes had been banned from Ikea.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The more Arley looked around the more people she saw littered around the livingroom and kitchen; Jade and Roy who— for some reason —Arley was sure had been on their way to a divorce were laughing as a little boy no older than six with Roy's red hair and Jade's dark eyes tugged at Roy's pant legs. Roy never looking away from Jade, scooped the small child up and held him close, in a fatherly embrace but why wouldn't he; Roy was the boy's father after all.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arley could remember waiting in the hospital waiting room when Jade had delivered him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Billy Batson and Jason Todd— who Arley was sure had died even though he couldn't have if he was standing in front of her —laughed as Jason ruffled Tim Drake's hair and in the corner of the dining room Bruce Wayne rolled his eyes at something Oliver Queen said; Barry Allen looked on humorously and held two fingers up behind his own head as he turned in Bruce's direction.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Young children's laughter floated down the hall, over the music and Hal and John's drunken singing and both Iris and Dinah turned in the laughter's direction before smiling at each other.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Look who's up from their nap!" Arley turned; a smile on her face and saw Wally holding a baby boy who was just shy of his first birthday. The striped onesie the baby wore was red and white and there were ginger curls sticking out of the baby sized Santa hat that someone had stuck atop his head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wally looked older than Arley could ever remember seeing him look; everyone did, Hal had patches of grey in his hair and there were wrinkles Arley was sure were new etched into Carol's face, but life was like that wasn't it? It moved so quickly if you blinked you missed it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Did someone have a good nap?" Arley found herself asking as she held her hands out so that Wally could pass her the baby in his arms; Wally, once the baby boy was snugly against Arley's chest took the open seat next to her, his arm stretched around the top of the couch behind her shoulders.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arley couldn't help but marvel at the baby boy in her arms; he was so tiny and fragile and Arley's heart swelled with love at the toothless smile he flashed her. His hazel eyes— the same hazel Arley's eyes were; the same hazel her father's eyes were —shined brightly up at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Of course he did," Wally said with a smile as he shook the baby's left foot, "He was in the comfy Christmas pajama's grandpa Hal got him, isn't that right?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The baby boy's hand moved up and the baby in Arley's arms pressed his open palmed hand to the underside of her jaw.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One of Arley's fingers lifted so that she could travel the curve of the freckles baby's face; the baby boy's hand moved from Arley's face and curled around her finger, bringing it to his mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Didn't I feed you two hours ago?" Arley laughed at the baby— at her son, the baby in her arms was hers and Wally's and though she couldn't ever remember actually having him she knew in her bones that the bay boy in her arms was hers —and her eyes flickered to Wally.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He gets being a bottomless pit from you, you know," she told Wally jokingly. Wally raised a hand— a golden wedding band glittered on his finger —and placed it on the top of their sons head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You still love us," Wally told her cheekily.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Of course I do," Arley said only for the kitchen's smoke alarm to go off; all the heroes in the house jumped and the baby in Arley's arms let out a wail as Arley instinctively brought him closer to her chest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She'd protect him, nothing would happen to him on her watch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Awe fuck!" Guy cried out; the smoke alarm got louder and louder until it was the only thing the Lantern could hear. Arley turned to Wally, the speedster said something but the smoke alarm continued to wail and wail and wail, drawing him out.</em>
</p><p>Arley woke up in her bed the day before Valentine's day; she was twenty-one and though Wally groaned in bed next to her, protesting the thought of waking up, he wasn't her husband.</p><p>She'd been dreaming; and as the Lantern reached over to her side of the bed to shut off her alarm she couldn't help feel disheartened because she could remember the dream— the lightness in her chest, the happiness she couldn't help but feel when her and Wally's son had been placed into her arms, having a family with and being married to Wally —and she wanted it.</p><p>She wanted the baby boy in her arms and she wanted the golden band around Wally's finger and she wanted to feel untouched by the horrors she had seen and the atrocities she'd committed in the name of Justice.</p><p>"Morning," Wally croaked as he slowly sat up in bed, his hair shot out every which way and his eyes weren't even fully opened.</p><p>"Morning Handsome," Arley said, "Sleep okay?"</p><p>"With you in my arms?" Wally shot back, his head tilted back and he smiled cheesily at Arley, "Never better Babe."</p><p>Arley leaned over and pressed her lips against his, when she pulled back her lips hovered over the speedsters.</p><p>"I love you," she cooed. Wally pecked his own lips against Arley's,</p><p>"Love you more."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley had a migraine and there was nothing her ring could do about it because it wasn't as if she'd been hit and her head hurt because she was concussed. No, Arley had simply stopped taking her medications, both the anti-depressants and anti-anxiety pills Dinah prescribed her for her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and her birth control.</p><p>Dick had said it was better if she had stopped now and on one hand the Lantern knew the former boy wonder was right, she didn't need to be fighting her teammates and withdrawal symptoms at the same time while undercover, and yet— as she laid in her darkened bedroom, curled up against Bodie —Arley couldn't help but loathe Dick Grayson and the fact he was right.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Being a full time Lantern and hero of Earth and college student who needed over three thousand clinical work hours so that she could one day become a social worker didn't leave Arley with a lot of time for a regular day job, which is why she tutored people in English and History, various languages and some sciences.</p><p>Jaime Reyes, a teenage hero Arley had taken under her wing after he'd joined the team, had needed help in history and the League had agreed to pay her on the young heroes behalf— though for Jaime Arley would have done it at no cost —which is why after several hours of grocery shopping, Arley— like every Saturday she was on Earth and not on some mission —found herself in her kitchen, seated across from Jaime Reyes.</p><p>Arley and Jamie had already been studying for close to two hours; outside Arley's kitchen window one by one the lamp posts lights began to turn on as the sun set over the tops of the houses that lined the other side of the street.</p><p>"Okay so tell me three reasons why the Roman Empire fell," Arley said. Jaime had his notebook in front of him and his history textbook was open in front of Arley. Bodie— looking for head scratches and love like the marshmallow Arley always called him —had his head on the Hispanic boy's lap just under the countertop.</p><p>"Any three?" Jamie wondered, Arley nodded; Jaime's pen flicked back and forth in between his fingers. Jaime blew a puff of air out from his lips as he tried to remember.</p><p>"Uh-invasion by barbarian tribes?" Jaime listed one on his finger, Arley with a smile nodded. Jamie flipped a second finger up, "Economic troubles? And Caesars murder?"</p><p>"No," Arley shook her head, "Caesars murder came before the fall but you are on the right track, why was Caesar murdered?" Jaime blinked, the New Mexican teen shrugged,</p><p>"He sucked?" Arley snorted,</p><p>"No-well yeah but no. Political instability was one of the reasons Rome fell," Arley said, "Rome had become so big of an empire it was hard to govern, and it being hard to govern made the fact the empire was so large an even bigger problem."</p><p>"Oh?" Jaime's brows knitted together.</p><p>"Tell me where you're lost," Arley said easily.</p><p>"Why didn't they have a bunch of little governments answer to a bigger government or why not elect a dude that could actually do the job?"</p><p>"Well probably because as time went on the guards would kill whoever the emperor was and either sell the position to the highest bidder or give it to someone they saw fit; but the second and third centuries it was practically a death sentence."</p><p>"Oh," Jamie said, "Okay," he nodded, Jaime looked down to write as he spoke; "So three reasons Rome fell was political instability, economic troubles and barbarian invasion?" Arley beamed.</p><p>"Exactly." The door behind Jaime opened Wally walked through the door with a heavy winter coat over his clothes and his backpack strewn over one shoulder.</p><p>"Hey Blue," Wally nodded at the teen hero who nodded back.</p><p>"Hey Wally." Wally then shot a wink and a calico-like smirk over to Arley as he shrugged off his coat and hung it up on the coatrack Artemis insisted be by the door.</p><p>"Babe!"</p><p>Arley blew a kiss in Wally's direction. The speedster pretended to catch the kiss and press it against his heart before he continued on towards their bedroom. Arley followed the speedsters back until the door of their bedroom shut behind him.</p><p>"Okay," Arley said as she looked back at Jaime with a lovesick smile she tried to fight off, playing on the ends of her lips. Jaime with a crudely smothered smile of his own looked brightly at Arley; as if he were internally laughing at her and Wally's interaction. "Back to studying, we have another fifteen minutes before you're done so we just need to go over a few more things, like what do most historians consider the end of Rome? We know what led to the fall but when did the Roman empire end?"</p><p>"Can I look in my textbook?" Jaime wondered.</p><p>"Try to figure it out first but then if you get it wrong sure."</p><p>"I'm going to get it wrong," Jaime said; wordlessly, Arley sent the teen a flat look. Like Guy, perhaps if being a social worker didn't work out she could always be a teacher.</p><p>"Think first-look after." Jaime held his hands up.</p><p>"The end of the Roman empire, the end of the Roman empire," Jaime muttered, "That would be when an emperor was killed?"</p><p>"Super vague but you're on the right track-I know you know this Jaime," Arley said and Jaime's lips pressed together. He let out a hum for several seconds as his fingers drummed along the edge of the counter.</p><p>"I-was it when the city of Rome fell and the emperor was killed?"</p><p>"Super close!" Arley clapped, "You're practically there now fill in the blanks!" Arley handed the teen his textbook and Jaime flipped to the page he knew the answer was on.</p><p>"Most historians agree that the Roman empire fell September fourth, four hundred and seventy-six common era, when Emperor Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the Germanic King Odoacer."</p><p>"Okay now not looking at the book, what came after the fall of Rome?"</p><p>Jaime looked up at Arley and squinted his eyes.</p><p>"The dark ages?"</p><p>Arley snapped her finger and nodded; "Yes!"</p><p>"Babe!" Wally called urgently from the bedroom; the speedster threw the white door open and hung half out the bedroom with one shoe still on, both Arley and Jaime, alarmed, looked up at the speedster who's cell phone was in his hand.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Arley asked getting to her feet; a thousand and one possibilities flashed through her mind both related to— some kind of super villain was attempting to take over the world, more aliens were trying to invade, some kind of ancient magic had been unleashed and the end of the world was nigh—and unrelated to— Rudy had fallen off a ladder again, Carol had been shot at, Joan had suffered another heart attack —superhero business.</p><p>"Nightwing and Arrow found Roy, we need to meet them in DC."</p><p>Arley looked to Jamie and then to her phone that had sat idly next to her and the time the cellphone read. She and Jamie still technically had another five minutes.</p><p>"Do you mind cutting the session a few minutes short tonight?"</p><p>"No of course not," Jamie said as he closed his notebook and textbook; the teen nudged Bodie's heavy head off his lap as he stood and slid his things into the backpack that had been hanging on the back of the chair.</p><p>"I hope everything works out with your hermano," Jamie said when looked up at Arley and Wally.</p><p>Arley knew the newcomers on the team had heard about Roy being a clone and how the archer had spiraled after that once the League had called off the search for the original Harper boy; most of them had been around to see Roy's reaction when he had been told the League had called off the search for the original Speedy.</p><p>The Lantern smiled at the younger hero, "So do I."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley and Wally— Arley in her uniform and Wally in his heavy winter jacket and knitted Superman winter hat that Conner had given him as a gag gift —had met Dick, Oliver, Dinah and the other Roy Harper clone— Jim —Cadmus had grown a top a condemned DC building.</p><p>"Do you think we can get him to get help this time?" Wally murmured as he leaned against an old air conditioning unit; Oliver waited out in the open against the wall he knew Roy would have to hit if he was going to make the jump between the building they were on and the building Dick had assured them all Roy was going to take.</p><p>"Jade couldn't," Arley mumbled; perhaps five years ago at sixteen Arley hadn't cared for Artemis' sister— she had been the enemy after all —but since then Arley had grown to like the former assassin, if both Artemis and Roy— two people Arley viewed as family —cared for her how could Arley herself not?</p><p>Perhaps Arley didn't view Jade as a sister like she thought of Artemis and M'gann, but nonetheless the eldest Crock sister was family, if only by proxy.</p><p>Dick opened his mouth to say something when the familiar sound of a grappling arrow hitting the wall by Oliver rang out across the rooftop. Dick turned and while Arley flew slightly over the former boy wonders head, Wally loomed over his best friend's shoulder to get a better peak at Roy rolling across the roof.</p><p>Roy stopped at Oliver's feet; his bow several feet away.</p><p>"Hey Roy," Oliver said as he stretched out his hand for the clone to take, "Need a hand?"</p><p>Roy looked up at his former mentor before he slapped the man's hand away.</p><p>"No," Roy snapped as he shakily got to his feet.</p><p>"Really cause we think you do," Dick said softly as he stepped out of the shadows and towards their friend; Arley and Wally, hand in hand, followed behind him. Jim and Dinah emerged from the other side of the roof and the five stood behind Oliver; Dinah's hands rested on her hips as she gave the long haired clone a motherly look Arley was accustomed to seeing.</p><p>Arley could make up the bruised track marks that littered the clones bow arm.</p><p>"I have nothing to say to any of you," Roy said with a glare, "Nothing to explain, nothing to justify." Roy turned to pick up his bow and walk away when Oliver grabbed the large wad of money out from his back pocket.</p><p>"Nothing?"</p><p>Roy stilled.</p><p>"It's not what it looks like," Roy said and Arley blinked, they had all heard that from him before, especially after he's started shooting up. "I mean, that store owner won't miss it, he offered me a reward anyway." Roy turned. "Besides, I deserve it. The guy wouldn't have the rest of his money back if it weren't for me."</p><p>Wally arched a brow, his grip on Arley's hand tightened; "Dude are you even listening to yourself?"</p><p>"Look I need it!" He snapped as he snatched the money from Oliver, "I need it to find Speedy, the real Roy Harper. A search like that is expensive especially when the rest of you have all given up," he sneered.</p><p>"Come on you know it's not like that," Dick said.</p><p>"Really?" Roy scoffed, "Cause the last I checked all of you had given up-I'm the last one here looking for him!"</p><p>Dinah breathed and stepped around Oliver, "Roy I know you feel lost but that doesn't mean you're alone."</p><p>"I'm not the one that's lost," Roy said as he spun around on his heel, away from her.</p><p>"When was the last time you trained?" Arley called out, she stepped up away from Wally and next to Dinah, "The last time you slept? Just tell me the last time you ate a hot meal!"</p><p>"You don't get to start lecturing me self care," Roy bit over his shoulder; Arley's eyes narrowed at the clone. There had been nights over the years that both Roy and Arley had found themselves in dark places— times where the dark jokes they made sounded less like jokes and more like grim plans —and perhaps worrying about him and how well he took care of himself made her a hypocrite but she didn't care.</p><p>She couldn't find it in herself too; Roy was her family.</p><p>"Don't be an asshole," Wally snapped defensively from behind Arley.</p><p>"I'm in the best shape of my life," Roy declared.</p><p>"Oh Really?" Dinah asked before her hands fell from her hips and her leg swung out at Roy. The red headed archer barely missed the blonde Leaguers swing and he didn't manage to dance back far enough when she swung her arm out afterwards.</p><p>Dinah walked Roy back all the way to the edge of the building; catching him by the front of his uniform as he tripped over his own feet and the backs of his thighs hit the semi-wall at the edge of the roof's building.</p><p>"Best shape of your life," Dinah scoffed. Roy fell forward on his knees as Dinah let him go "That was me holding back-way back. Roy you used to treat your body as a temple but now—"</p><p>"—My body's no temple," Roy spat, cutting her off. Arley's face fell at the sight of her friend and Wally placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's a cheap knock off, a clone."</p><p>Oliver stepped away from Arley and the others and walked softly over to Roy; once more Oliver held his hand out for the clone to take.</p><p>"Come back to Star City," Oliver said, "It'll be like old times, you and me training-fighting crime, hanging out, shooting—"</p><p>Roy got to his feet and glared at his old mentor.</p><p>"—You're confused. Probably thinking of the other guy. You know the original, the one you stopped looking for. Me, I'm just—"</p><p>"—We get it," Jim snapped, his voice was deeper then Roy's, "You're a clone, but you're not the only clone on this rooftop." Jim stalked forward, his hands out of his pockets. "I know from personal experience how tough it was to come to grips with being a copy of someone else. That's why I gave up my identity as Guardian-so that I could figure out exactly who Jim Harper is supposed to be."</p><p>"That's not the only thing you gave up," Roy sneered; Jim's shoulders dropped.</p><p>"Roy, you know we both spent years looking for the original Speedy. As did everyone else here on this rooftop, and we haven't found him because the Light didn't keep him alive." </p><p>Arley flinched at the truth; she's long ago come to terms that the annoying fifteen year old boy she'd met in Oliver Queen penthouse was dead but that didn't mean hearing it didn't hurt. She may have not known the original Roy Harper well but she had still known him; still laughed and joked with him. </p><p>"It was Cadmus policy to delete the source material; he's dead brother, which is all the more reason you have to live. To honor the Roy that was."</p><p>Roy snorted— not humorously — as he sat on top of a vent that stuck up out of the roof.</p><p>"I'm whelmed by all this attention." Roy looked up, past Jim, over at Arley, Dick and Wally. "What are you even doing here West? I thought you ditched the hero game?"</p><p>"Ditching the game doesn't mean ditching my friends and before you round back to the whole original Roy Harper—" Wally said with a pointed finger, "—Lets face the facts he was never out friend."</p><p>"We've all done the math," Dick said, "Speedy was abducted before any of us met."</p><p>"Not her," Roy said harshly nodding his head in Arley's direction.</p><p>"So?" Arley shrugged, her jaw clenched, the Lantern pushed the original Roy's laughter from the corners of her mind, "That doesn't change the facts that you're the Roy I grew up knowing-I mean come on, I met the original what three times before Cadmus got him? I didn't know him, not like I know you. You're the boy that used to try to outpace me on missions, and you're the boy who used to tease me over my feelings for Wally. You Roy-not the other guy."</p><p>"Yeah," Wally nodded, "You're the guy we trained besides, fought beside-you're the only you we know."</p><p>"You're our friend, just because you're a clone with anger management issues doesn't change that," Dick said.</p><p>"Seriously," Wally said, "Have you met Superboy." Arley elbowed the speedster in the gut and Wally curled into himself. Roy bent his head.</p><p>"All done?" Roy asked and Arley's shoulder's fell. "Roy stood up and walked past Jim and then he brushed between Arley and Dick, "You want to salvage someone's soul, go get Kaldur to see the light, from what I hear he needs course correcting, but leave me out." Roy stopped at the edge of the roof and raised his bow, "Write me off, or don't, either way, blow it."</p><p>And then he jumped down onto something that sounded like the lid of a dumpster leaving Arley to meet Wally's eyes with a heavy and disappointed gaze.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>It was nearly midnight by the time Arley and Wally made it back to their tiny Palo Alto apartment; Bodie was asleep on the couch, taking up the entire piece of furniture. The pair fell against the kitchen counter, in between the stools.</p><p>Their coats were hung up by the door and both of Arley and Wally's gloves were stuffed into the speedsters jacket pocket. The hat Wally had worn laid on the counter.</p><p>"I want to strangle him sometimes," Arley breathed as she thought about Roy.</p><p>"Tell me about it," Wally said as he turned to lean one arm against the countertop so that he could look at Arley. "And on top of all this my Vietnamese Lit paper is still due at eight am." A sly smirk curled over the speedsters face, "I don't suppose you'd finish it for me, Miss Universal Translator?"</p><p>With a low sounding laugh Arley leaned over and pressed a kiss to the speedsters lips; it was short and sweet and she had pulled away before Wally had the chance to deepen it. Wally's hand pressed against the side of Arley's neck, his fingers against her pulse. Arley's hand hung off his forearm.</p><p>"Not a chance," she told him with a grin. The watch on Wally's wrist went off and the red headed ex-hero perked up, his emerald eyes sparkled to life.</p><p>"It's midnight," Wally breathed, "Which means happy Valentines Day Glowstick." Arley beamed,</p><p>"You remembered!"</p><p>"Of course," Wally chuckled, "What kind of jerk would I be if I forgot, for the fifth year in a row?"</p><p>"My kind of jerk," Arley mused as she brought her face closer to his.</p><p>Wally moved the stool that was in between them with his foot and stepped closer to Arley, he rolled her back against the counter so that as he braced his weight next to Arley with the arm that wasn't pressed to the side of Arley's neck he could hover over her.</p><p>Arley's arms locked around his neck, dragging his face closer to her own, the tips of their noses brushed against one another.</p><p>"Seriously though," Wally told her, "You and me, tomorrow-tonight?" Wally asked before shrugging, "Anyway whatever, the point is we have a reservation at that really nice Italian restaurant you've been talking about."</p><p>"Wally, you know you didn't have to do that," Arley said.</p><p>"I want to, I always forget Valentine's day-I want to show you how much you mean to me." Arley blinked at the speedster, her head reared back and she looked at the young man as if he'd grown a second head.</p><p>"Wally I don't need a reservation at a nice restaurant or a day pre-marked on the calendar we get from the Chinese place we order from to know you care about me. I know you do because every time I wake up screaming you're there for me, telling me it's going to be okay, and I know you love me because every time I come home from a mission my favorite food is already cooking on the stove; I fell in love with your kindness Handsome, your looks were just an added perk," Arley told him.</p><p>"I love you," Wally sighed before he kissed her; Arley didn't waste time before she began to nip at Wally's bottom lip, pulling at it until he opened his mouth and slid his tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss.</p><p>Arley pulled the speedster flush against her and as one hand slid down his spine— her nails raked against the soft fabric of his shirt —the other pulled at his hair. Wally pressed himself against Arley further as he moved his hand from the edge of the counter. Arley moved herself against Wally as his hand traveled down her side and— he paused for a moment to slip his hand over the globe of ass and squeeze, dragging out a moan of the dark haired woman —to the back of her thigh; Wally tugged at the Lanterns legs and hooked it over his hip.</p><p>Arley's breath hitched when Wally pressed himself against her.</p><p>Wally's hand ran up and down Arley's leg; squeezing and groping her every so often.</p><p>As Wally's hips continued to move against her— Arley could feel him hardening beneath his jeans, making her eyes roll into the back of her head every time he grinded the clothed head of his cock against her —Arley pulled her lips away from the speedsters mouth and began to leave a trail of kisses from his swollen lips down his face and along his jaw until she came to the the shell of the speedsters ear.</p><p>At that moment she needed him more then she needed the air in her lungs.</p><p>"Bedroom," Arley moaned and Wally, who had craned in his neck so that Arley could have better access to his jaw and throat nodded. The hand Wally had buried in Arley's hair disappeared so that he could scoop the Lantern up; Arley's ankles locked around his waist and for a moment she was perched on the very edge of the counter.</p><p>"I love you," Wally told her breathlessly, his pupils blown wide. Arley dipped her head forward to press a heated kiss against the speedsters lips and Wally turned them— Arley clung to the speedster tighter —as he started towards their bed room.</p><p>Arley was the one who fumbled with the door handle and Wally had been the one who kicked the door shut behind them.</p><p>Wally walked over to their bed, his and Arley's lips never detaching until he had thrown her on their messy comforter with a laugh. Grinning, Arley haphazardly kicked off her sneakers; Wally did the same with his own sneakers before he came down for another searing kiss.</p><p>Arley's fingers— as the red head moved to kiss down her neck, nipping and sucking at every other patch of skin —walked down Wally's torso only to stop at the hem of his shirt; the Lantern tugged upwards at the hem of the speedsters sweater.</p><p>"Off," she panted and Wally detached his lips from the column of her throat. As Wally tore off his own sweater, Arley was quick to get out of hers and eagerly threw it behind her leaving her in only an old hot pink sports bra.</p><p>The bra had a coffee stain on the left breast and a loose thread on the back that hung halfway down Arley's back, yet Wally didn't seem to care how unsexy her bra was compared to the lacy one she had tucked away in her dresser, because as his lips once more attached themselves to Arleys one of Wally's hands slipped under the elastic of her bra; his thumb roughly brushed over her nipple causing the Lantern to moan loudly into their kiss as she arched her back.</p><p><em>More</em>, she needed more. Arley's thoughts were foggy; the only thing she could focus on asides from the fire that flooded her veins with every touch and kiss was how much she ached for the speedster above her.</p><p>Arley threw her weight to the side so that she could straddle Wally; Arley didn't wait for him to push up her sports bra before she took it off herself, flinging it in the same direction she'd thrown her sweater.</p><p>Wally's Adams apple bobbed as he looked up at Arley, awestruck; it was the same look he'd worn when they were seventeen and back in Coast City. It was the same look he always wore. His hands traveled up her ribs only to stall on the thick, ropey scar she'd gotten the last time she and the team had faced Vandal Savage. Wally's lips twisted into a frown.</p><p>"I'm sorry." Wally's brows dipped forward as his thumb brushed over the scarred skin. Wally's tongue darted out to lick his lips.</p><p>"It's not your fault," Arley breathed, "It wasn't you-not really."</p><p>"It doesn't matter, I should have known better then to fall into Savage's trap—" Arley leaned forward and kissed him, she pulled back a moment later and a thin line of saliva followed after her.</p><p>"What happened wasn't your fault, I don't blame you." And then she kissed him again; the kiss, just as needy as the others that'd come before it, was firmer, it was as if Arley was trying to kiss the reminder of what had happened not being his fault into him.</p><p>Arley's teeth mashed against Wally's as their tongues danced and slowly Wally's hands began to slip from Arley's rips and down her sides until they instead settled on her hips. Wally began to move the Lantern against him.</p><p>The iron hot ball that had settled in Arley's lower stomach had started to tighten the harder Wally pressed her down against himself.</p><p>"I need you out of these jeans," Wally panted against Arley's abused lips.</p><p>"I was thinking the same thing Handsome," Arley breathed; she reached down between herself and the speedster to snap open the button of Wally's jeans just as Wally reached up to unfasten the button on hers.</p><p>Arley and Wally's legs tangled together as they unpeels the others pants off of them; Arley simply dropped Wally's pants and boxers off the side of the bed while Wally, who had balled up Arley's jeans and panties tossed the two pieces of clothing over her shoulder.</p><p>Arley's hand wrapped around the base of Wally's cock; the speedster shuddered as Arley moved her hand up and down the member, her thumb every so often sweeping over it's weeping head. Two of Wally's fingers danced across and up her thighs, with a whiny and shuddering breath Arley's toes curled as Wally's fingers crooked inside of her and this thumb circled around her clit.</p><p>"More," Arley whined. "Moremoremore—" the Lantern sucked in a sharp breath as Wally's hips snapped against her hand, the Lantern fell forward and she braced her weight on the arm she'd put next to Wally's head. "—Please Wally, please—"</p><p>"Please what?" Wally asked in a low, knowing voice. His teeth nipped at the skin on her neck as his fingers continued to pump in and out of her. Arley's arm wobbled.</p><p>"Fuck me," Arley panted, "Please just fuck me."</p><p>Wally pressed his lips against Arley's as he rolled them so once more he was on top. Arley let go of Wally and the speedster moved to settle between her legs; both of Wally's hands gripped at Arley's hips and for a moment the speedster rutted himself against her. Arley clawed at the space between his shoulder blades, her teeth scraped over the skin of his collarbone.</p><p>"You are such a tease," Arley growled; Wally's snickered turned into a throaty groan as he slid himself all the way inside of her, anchoring himself to her, as if she'd drift away given the chance.</p><p>"Fuck," Wally breathed, he pressed a searing kiss to Arley's lips, "God I love you."</p><p>Arley's legs locked behind the speedster. The heel she had against the small of his back urged him to move; he started to thrust shallowly before he almost completely pulled himself out— Arley mewled in protest —before he thrusted back in so that their hips smacked together loudly.</p><p>Arley could feel herself slipping, the edges of her vision dotted white as she felt herself started to clench around him; Wally's pace picked up.</p><p>"Wally, Wally, I'm—" Arley couldn't remember shutting her eyes as she let out a vulgar sounding moan; all she could remember was her breath escaping her as she reached her peak.</p><p>"Come on," Wally moaned into the side of her neck and as he shuttered against her— his hips rolling against her own —Arley clung to the speedster.</p><p>Both Wally and Arley's breathing was ragged as he rolled off of her; Wally rested on his side, one of his arms was thrown over her stomach as his head rested on the other and Arley blinked up at the ceiling before she turned to him, her thoughts swimming.</p><p>Wally had already been smiling at her.</p><p>"Happy Valentines Day Wally," Arley whispered with a grin. Wally leaned over, closing the gap between them, his forehead dotted with sweat and kissed her; the kiss was more teeth than lips and it was far from perfect but it made Arley's heart sputter all the same.</p><p>"Happy Valentines Day Arley."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Four — Beneath</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"Everything comes with an inherent sacrifice, whatever makes us feel good will also inevitably make us feel bad."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sitting at a table in Guy Gardner's Manhattan restaurant, Arley, Conner and Artemis watched the civilians around them chattering and laughing. Warriors had been a hit from the start; for the civilians it was a place where— occasionally —they could catch Green Arrow or other League members, eating after a long battle, and for the heroes it was a place where the young teens who saved the world could make some money and older heroes could eat a meal without having to worry about a check if they needed to rush off because when you work a thankless and payless job like they did sometimes the best— and only —thanks was a hot meal.</p><p>"So Guy's off world?" Conner asked Arley; Arley nodded.</p><p>"There's been some yellow activity in Tomar-Tu's old sector so the Guardians sent him and some others to investigate. Hopefully this will be where Sinestro's hiding out and we can put this whole war behind us," Arley said.</p><p>Jordan-Glucks weren't pessimists; Hal hadn't allowed that in their apartment growing up, but as the war between the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps continued to rage it was hard for Arley not to lose herself to the darkness that seemed to be her life.</p><p>Artemis raised her glass of ice tea, "Cheers to that."</p><p>Arley and Conner raised their own glasses and clinked them against Artemis'. Though Arley needed the war to be over soon— she couldn't see another Lantern she knew and cared about dead at her feet, she couldn't continue to make the impossible soul crushing decisions the Sinestro Corps had pushed her to make over the years —the Lantern knew all she could really do was hope; hope that the war would end sooner rather than later.</p><p>"How are you though? Mal said you kidnapped Jaime for some personal time last week?" Arley asked Conner.</p><p>"If I have to hear La'gann call M'gann Angelfish one more time I'm going to stab my ears with kryptonite until I'm deaf." Conner rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his booth.</p><p>"Jesus Con," Artemis snickered.</p><p>"It's true though," Conner defended himself, "You don't have to listen to them Artemis; Oh Angelfish this surface food is divine. Oh Angelfish look at me I can lift a car over my head when I inflate myself like a puffer fish," Conner said in a mocking imitation of La'gaan's own voice.</p><p>Both young women collapsed against themselves into a fit of giggles.</p><p>"What are we laughing about now?" The three college aged heroes turned to see sixteen year old Billy Batson, dressed in the green polo shirt the waiters and waitresses at Warriors wore, holding a large tray that had their foods.</p><p>Instead of having their names on their tags that were pinned to their chests, most of the waiters and waitresses had the name of their favorite League member or sidekick. Billy's name tag read Captain Marvel; when Cassie— Wonder Woman's protégé —worked she usually wore her own mantle's name as well, Jaime, when he picked up a shift, however wore the name Batman as the young teen was too nervous to wear the name Blue Beetle on his nametag.</p><p>"Just Conner's impression of Lagoon Boy," Artemis said and Billy looked as if he was trying not to smile.</p><p>"He's nice," Billy said as he put Artemis' banana nut pancakes in front of her, "But he's kind of a try hard, you know?" Billy sat Conner's pork patty breakfast sandwich and fries in front of him. Billy looked at Arley, "I men I was hanging out with Gar and Tim the other day and he comes in and says that me, him and Gar should hang out cause Gar is like M'gann's brother and since you call me yours and you also call M'gann your sister we should all bond since that means we're family-dude, like what?" Billy gave Arley her mushroom and swiss burger plate; the onion rings on the side were extra well done.</p><p>"And I'm sure that's the hardest thing you've ever had to go through," Arley said with a faux seriousness; Billy shot the older hero a dry look.</p><p>"Don't choke on your food cause I won't save you," Billy joked.</p><p>Arley's mouth fell open.</p><p>"That's so rude-Conner you would save me from choking to death, right?" With a smirk Conner wobbled his hand from side to side; Arley's head swiveled to Artemis, "Arty?"</p><p>"You know it," Artemis said, not looking up as she cut her pancaked. Arley slung her arm around the archers shoulders and looked at both dark haired males,</p><p>"See this is why I love Artemis the most, she'd save me from choking to death."</p><p>"Only cause if I didn't I'd have to deal with Wally's crying." Arley retracted her arm from Artemis' shoulder; snickering, Billy rolled his eyes at the girls banter.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley, with the rest of the females who were on the team with her— Miss Martian, Wonder Girl, Batgirl and Bumblebee —sat inside the bio-ship's cockpit as the female Martian piloted the ship over Qurac and towards Bialya. Arley sat next to Batgirl at the front of the ship and peeked a look at young the red headed woman when Dick's face, covered with his domino mask and with his Nightwing symbol sticking up just into the camera's frame, appeared holographically on the bio-ship's front window.</p><p>Ever since Barbra had become Batgirl she and Dick had been on and off; currently the two of them were off.</p><p>"Investigating the origin of the alien bomb that destroyed the Krolotean invasion force is still a high priority," Dick said, "We suspect the bomb to have been smuggled to Earth via boom tube, Watchtower scans of Bialya have recorded an uptick in their boom tube activity. Alpha squad, your mission is to—"</p><p>"—Sneak behind enemy lines, recon known boom tube hotspots and find alien tech matching the bomb," Wonder Girl cut Dick off excitedly. The demi-goddess pressed the symbol on her chest, darkening her uniform; "Oh, and don't get caught or create an internal incident, right?"</p><p>Arley looked over her shoulder at the beaming blonde and then at Miss Martian who Arley smiled wider at; Cassie reminded Arley so much of M'gann, back when she had first come to Earth, bright eyed and eager to save lives.</p><p>"That about covers it," Dick nodded with a smile of his own. Miss Martian's eyes flickered from Arley to Dick, slightly, the Martian's smile fell.</p><p>"And Psimon?" The Martian wondered with a quirked brow and grimace; Arley's own smile faded as she remembered the first time she had met the psychic. She'd been fifteen and tortured to give up Green Lantern Corps secrets so that Vandal Savage could use them against the Corps; she hadn't of course but she still barred the scars.</p><p>"We have confirmation that, after his last encounter with you," Dick said almost awkwardly, "Bialya's telepathic enforcer is still catatonic in a Quraci hospital. But Bialya's dictator Queen Bee is another story. Her ability to control the minds of men is why Alpha is an all-female squad for this mission."</p><p>Batgirl crossed her arms over her chest and Arley caught the red head smirking up at Dick Grayson; "Oh Really?" Batgirl wondered over dramatically, "And would you have felt the need to justify an all male squad for a given mission."</p><p>Arley crossed her own arms over her chest, not in indignation but rather curiosity. There was something almost satisfying about watching a Bat fumble; even if that Bat was one of her closest friends.</p><p>Dick cleared his throat, "There-there's no right answer for that is there?" Dick asked. Dick's shoulders fell as he breathed, "So, Nightwing out."</p><p>Dick's face faded from the bio-ships window and Batgirl tilted her chin up victoriously, the red headed Gothamite smirked arrogantly; "Queen Bee isn't the only woman who can mess with a man's mind."</p><p>Simultaneously the five female heroes burst out into giggles.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Hours later, under the cover of night, Arley found herself mind-linked to the other females as they overlooked one of the lesser common of Bialya's boom tube locations; Arley peered down over the sand dune she and the others had hidden behind to look at the Bialyaian soldiers that littered the compound.</p><p>Dick had put Arley in charge of the mission which meant she had to figure out a plan that got everyone out and home safely; ever since the war had started Arley had had to break the news to families throughout the galaxy, she wouldn't be making one on Earth.</p><p>
  <em>"The other boom tube hot spots have all been busts but—"</em>
</p><p><em>"—This much security means they must be guarding some big deal alien stuff, right?"</em> Wonder Girl asked through the mind-link, cutting Miss Martian off.</p><p><em>"Maybe, it's our job to find out."</em> Arley turned to Batgirl, <em>"Batgirl, I'll drop you at the north hanger, Miss M, take the south. Bee, you're with me in the middle one, I want you to go on ahead as I drop Batgirl off and scout for a way in. Wonder Girl, hold position and watch our six."</em></p><p><em>"What?"</em>  Wonder Girl blinked, <em>"Wait why can't I go in?"</em></p><p><em>"Cause you're Wonder Girl, honey,"</em> Bumblebee said to the young blonde, <em>"Not stealth-er girl."</em></p><p><em>"I can do this though,"</em> Wonder Girl said; her looked at Arley pleadingly and the Lantern wanted to let the girl come along— she remembered what it was like to want to prove herself —but she had three other teammates lives to think about on top of Wonder Girls' and she wouldn't put them in jeopardy just so the blonde demi-god could prove herself to Wonder Woman.</p><p><em>"No,"</em> Arley said;<em> "Stay here."</em></p><p>
  <em>"But—"</em>
</p><p><em>"—Look Cas,"</em> Batgirl said,<em> "No one is knocking your enthusiasm and if this were a fire fight there's no one else I'd rather have besides me—"</em></p><p><em>"—But we're trying to avoid a fight,"</em> Miss Martian said just as kindly.<em> "And we need a look out."</em> Wonder Girls shoulders dropped and Arley felt something heavy settle in her stomach as the blonde's baby blues eyed the sand beneath them.</p><p>The Lantern rested a hand on Wonder Girls shoulder; the demi-god looked up.<em> "Look, I know you're eager to prove yourself but Bialya? This isn't a place to take any kind of risk. If you really want to prove yourself, once we get back to the cave I'll talk to Nightwing about sending you on another Alpha-squad mission, alright?"</em></p><p>Wonder Girl's lips turned up; <em>"Really?"</em></p><p><em>"I swear it,"</em> Arley nodded; she turned to the rest of the team, <em>"Only communicate through the mind-link, the Bialyans have technology that can intercept our radios. If anything goes wrong we scatter-do not wait around or go looking for the rest of the team, just head to the rendezvous point, clear?"</em></p><p><em>"Clear,"</em> the others nodded. Miss Martian closed her eyes and camouflaged herself to match the desert surroundings around them; Bumblebee shrunk even further— so much so that Arley could barely see the flying female and Batgirl pressed herself closer to Arley so that the Lantern could pick her up.</p><p><em>"Good,"</em> Arley wrapped her arms around Batgirl's waist, Arley looked at the heroes who'd never been inside Bialya's borders before,<em> "And seriously, I meant what I said, no risks. Do what we came here to do and then get out."</em></p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley had been looking at the crates that littered the second hanger when she felt her mind rubberband back to her; the Lantern pressed her palm against the side of one of the crates as she felt her mind piece back together. Miss Martian had shut down the link, something was wrong.</p><p><em>Do you think she had been captured?</em> Aniell wondered; Arley thought for a moment before dismissing the idea.</p><p><em>If Megs got caught then we'd hear an alarm, something else happened.</em> Arley looked up at where she had last seen Bumblebee and waved her hand at the dark skinned girl; a second later Arley heard the hum of her wings.</p><p>Bumblebee's eyes knitted together.</p><p>"Link's down," Arley breathed, "Let Wonder Girl know and get to the rendezvous point. I need to find Batgirl and Miss M."</p><p>"I thought you said not to go looking for the others?" Bumblebee hissed; Arley smirked,</p><p>"I told you guys not to, I'm the mission leader it's different, now get going; shit could hit the fan at any moment." Bumblebee didn't look pleased but she nodded all the same, at that moment a loud crash sounded from the outside and the alarm started to blare red; the doors of the hanger shut and Arley breathed.</p><p>"I hate our job," she said as the grated window Bumblebee had come through shut too. Arley could hear the soldiers that had littered the hanger begin to load their guns; the red light from their guns started to trace over the hanger walls and the sides of crates.</p><p>Arley had been to Bialya enough to know the kinds of marksmen the army churned out; she had also been to Bialya enough to know it didn't matter what they saw moving— fly sized or not —they'd shoot. They'd kill Bumblebee and the rest of the team and it would be Arley's fault for not protecting them.</p><p>The Lanterns fingers curled into a fist, her heart beat quickly in her chest. She had to get her team out.</p><p>"Okay new plan," Arley held the end of one of her braids, "Bee you're with me, stay in my hair, we don't need two targets moving around."</p><p>Bumblebee let out a hum and clutched onto Arley's braided hair.</p><p>Slowly the Lantern crept to where she had seen a floor vent; the reds from the soldiers' guns were getting closer and Arley slipped her fingers between the holes in the vents grating and pulled; quietly she and Bumblebee slipped down into the hangers vent systems.</p><p>Silently, with Bumblebee leading the way as Arley army-crawled behind her, the pair made their way through the vents, only to come to a stop when they were met with Batgirl's face sticking out ever so slightly from a turn in the vent system.</p><p>"Girl you look like a turkey stuffing on Thanksgiving," Bumblebee giggled.</p><p>"Thank you," Batgirl breathed, "Very helpful."</p><p>Bumblebee put her hands on her hips as her wings fluttered behind her.</p><p>"This was your escape route?"</p><p>"No," Batgirl said, "I was already here when the alarm sounded and the physic link went down." Batgirl looked to Arley, "What happened up there?"</p><p>If she could have shrugged she would have.</p><p>"No idea," Arley said, "One minute the link went dark and the next the alarm sounded and the hanger locked down. Bee and I came to get you."</p><p>"I thought you said—"</p><p>"Apparently it's different because she's the mission leader," Bumblebee answered before Batgirl's question had fully left her mouth. Batgirl looked at Arley humorously,</p><p>"Okay-you guys said the hangers were locked down?"</p><p>"Yeah," Arley answered. Batgirl moved and grabbed a small compact from her belt. A hologram appeared and lit up the ventilation shaft the three heroes were in.</p><p>"I scanned the air shafts, they connected all three hangers but they also lead to a larger chamber twenty meters below."</p><p>And that, most likely, was where the alien technology was. Green Lanterns always completed their missions; that was one of the first things Kilowog had drilled into her and the others minds in boot camp. Yet, she couldn't risk her teammates' lives; she wouldn't.</p><p>But she was in Bialya and she had promised Wally to come back to him and she knew going alone was a suicide mission.</p><p><em>Compromise</em>, Aniell said;<em> Think smart not hard and not with your emotions</em>.</p><p>It was easier said than done but Arley knew she had too.</p><p>"Batgirl you go back to the rendezvous point; Bee shrink some more, I want you hidden from the human eye, you're with me-and Batgirl?"</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Be safe."</p><p>Batgirls lips twitched up, she handed Arley the compact she had used to scan the air shafts and Arley's fingers wrapped around the palm sized metal.</p><p>"You too, both of you."</p><p>And with that the girls split up; Arley followed Bumblebee down the air shafts to an old stone temple like chamber. There was an image of a scarab ingrained on the wall and an obelisk in the middle of the room; rubble was settled around the room, piled around the broken column and destroyed steps.</p><p><em>Aniell, are you getting this?</em> Arley thought as she continued to look around herself. Lantern rings had environmental playbacks meaning that Arley— and every other Lantern in the corps —could see a holographic environment based on data in its memory banks.</p><p><em>Yes,</em> Aniell answered.</p><p>Bailyan soldiers stood in front of three large computer monitors that had been set up in the side of the room; music played through a small speaker a soldier had set up.</p><p>"Can you say temple of doom?" Bumblebee said as she floated higher into the air, "This place must be thousands of years old."</p><p>Arley moved, out from the open and behind a pile of rocks. Slowly Arley crept by the Bialyan soldiers until she was crouched over a ledge that overlooked an air strip. Arley flew down the ledge and landed on the concrete that was the airstrip; with her back hunched Arley tiptoed around and under the wing of the old cargo plane someone had landed only to stop and turn when red caught her eyes.</p><p>Face to face with a brown haired teenage boy; Arley found herself looking at a podded teenager. The boy was no older than Jaime and Billy were, the boys hair was matted and dirty— it looked as if it hadn't been washed in weeks —his face was sunken in and there were old, dark colored stains on the obviously hand-me -own shirt he wore; though his eyes were closed his face was sunken in and everything about him screamed that he was from the streets.</p><p>The pod the boy was in almost reminded Arley of the one she and the others had saved Conner from five years ago.</p><p>With wide eyes Arley started to walk down the line of podded teenagers; there were two complete rows of twelve and one third row had only just been started; each podded teen looked almost worse than the last, all of them were obviously either runaways or kids who lived far below the poverty line.</p><p>Arley felt something hit her over the head; with a cry she felt her knees hit the concrete beneath her and then as she was hit over the head a second time and as darkness overtook her, she felt nothing.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Pain was the first thing Arley felt when she came too; her left boob stung as she jerked awake and her hands went to cover the sensitive area. Arley's eyes flitted around the dark room she was in only to see Bumblebee hovering in front of her.</p><p>"Did you just—"</p><p>"Sorry girl you wouldn't wake up and we have a cargo plane full of abductees Batgirl needs to fly to safety." Bumblebee pressed a finger to her lips, "Which is ironic since she's the only one on Alpha who can't fly."</p><p>"I'll give you a dollar if you say that her," Arley mused;</p><p>"And have her bring out the fly swatter again?" Bumblebee joked, "No thank you."</p><p>Arley caught sight of Icicle junior, Mammoth and Deviation moving towards a glowing eyed Shimmer who Arley quickly pierced together was M'gann. The planes engines fired up and Arley moved out of the pod she'd been put into.</p><p>"I'm going to help Miss M, keep Batgirl covered and this plane moving, we need these kids safe-wait where's Wonder Girl?" Arley questioned.</p><p>"She's got the doors," Bumblebee said as the plane's doors began to shut, "Go!"</p><p>Arley didn't wait for any more encouragement, the Lantern and Bee themed heroes flew out of plane doors. Bumblebee began to fire at Mammoth and Arley went to trip Devastation with a rope she had formed from her ring, only for the super human to jump, high over the construct and onto the back of the plane.</p><p>Arley turned to go after that tattooed criminal; only for Bumblebee's high pitched voice to cut her off.</p><p>"Help Miss M, I got them!" </p><p>Arley shot the tiny, pinky-sized hero a curt nod and turned back so that she could fly at Psimon. The pair rolled to the ground, away from Icicle and Miss Martian; and Arley landed with one knee under her and the other leg outstretched at her side; her ring raised in Psimons direction.</p><p>Psimon pushed himself up, onto his knees as he glared at her.</p><p>"Lantern."</p><p>Arley could feel him trying to enter her mind; with a snarl she thought of glowing green guard dogs and razor wire and the Batcave safe Batman kept his chunk of Kryptonite in. Miss Martian turned to Icicle junior; her disguise as Shimmer fell as she did so.</p><p>"Uh-oh."</p><p>"Looking at you, still hurts," Arley snarled. Arley fired a blast from her ring at the physic and the man was thrown back onto the ground with his eyes closed; Arley could see the rise and fall of Psimons chest. With a wave of her hand Miss Martian threw Icicle into the wall, knocking him out; Arley and the Martian turned as they flew off after the cargo plane.</p><p>Wonder Girl had just thrown both Mammoth and Devastation off of the top of the plane when Arley and Miss Martian had caught up with the cargo plane. The three females landed on the very top of the plane, near the horizontal stabler.</p><p>"We did it!" Wonder Girl cheered; Arley couldn't help but smile at the blonde girl's enthusiasm. Arley could remember what that was like; some days— on the good ones —she still felt it.</p><p>"Guess we won't need that second mission, huh Wonder Girl?"</p><p>A forklift someone— Mammoth or Devastation —had thrown landed on the plane's right wing; the plane's right engine sputtered and whined before it exploded, knocking all three heroes off.</p><p>The plane drifted to the left and the left wing scraped against the rocky wally before that too came off; the node of the plane— as the plane continued to move forward —tipped ward and blue sparks flew behind the plane as it— and the kidnapped kids and Batgirl and Bumblebee —all fell down, off the edge of the runway.</p><p>Arley, Wonder Girl and Miss Martian flew after it; Miss Martian's eyes glowed green and Wonder Girl put her back against the planes nose while Arley imagined a construct that looked eerily similar to the claw in the rigged machines you would find in the lobby of a Friendly's.</p><p>The glowing green construct wrapped around the planes fuselage and, with sweat beading her brow, Arley pulled upwards, leading the plane away from the explosion that nearly engulfed them once the falling planes wings hit the ground underneath them.</p><p>Once they were away from the fire explosion at the bottom of the valley, and away from Psimon and his men, Wonder Girl let out a loud hoot before she started laughing.</p><p>"That's right!" The demi-goddess called, "We did it!"</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Hours later, back at the Mount Justice Cave, in the Meeting Chamber the founding members of the League had once sat around, Dick Grayson— after he had seen and recorded the environmental replay Arley's ring could produce of the chambers walls —hung his head in apology once Arley and the others had recounted the mission in Bialya.</p><p>"Psimon planted mental suggestions in the minds of his doctors and nurses, they've been tending to an empty hospital bed for months, I'm sorry."</p><p>"It had to happen eventually," M'gann said. Dick breathed;</p><p>"So no alien tech?" The former boy wonder asked, Arley shook her head.</p><p>"No but it was strange all the same."</p><p>"It was clear in Shimmers mind that Queen Bee was acting as some sort of a middle man, delivering and abducting humans to an unknown partner."</p><p>"She had no clue?" Dick asked, "No ideas?"</p><p>M'gann shook her head.</p><p>"We questioned all the teens, most of them were runaways who were kidnapped after the destruction of Malina Island and the Kroloteans," Barbra said with her hands on her hips. Dick crossed his arms over his chest.</p><p>"So if the Bialyaians weren't kidnapping for the Kroloteans then who is this partner?"</p><p>"Great," Cassie scoffed, "Another unanswered question."</p><p>Dick smiled at the younger girl.</p><p>"New questions keep the investigation moving forward. You saved lives and you got each other home safe, that's a successful mission in my book. Good work Alpha," Dick said. Barbra swung an arm over Cassie's shoulders and pulled the girl closer to her; Cassie looked around and her baby blue eyes landed on Arley who was beaming at her.</p><p>"You know Cas," M'gann said, "I think we have ice cream in the fridge-you don't need to be home until later right?"</p><p>"Yeah," the demi-goddess nodded.</p><p>"Come on then, I'm pretty sure we have enough chocolate syrup to make sundaes."</p><p>Cassie's eyes brightened and the younger girl reached over to grab the Martian's hand before she took to the air— M'gann flew into the air as well —and shot off, out of the meeting Chamber towards the kitchens.</p><p>"Come on girl," Karen grinned at Barbra, "Let's go before Wonder Girl eats all the ice cream." Karen turned to Arley, "You coming too?"</p><p>Arley blinked and smiled easily at the pair; "Yeah in a minute, Nightwing and I just need to go over a few more things."</p><p>Barbra's eyebrows— under her cowl —knitted together, but the redhead didn't say anything before she turned and followed Karen out of the room. When the door was shut firmly behind the two females Dick looked at Arley.</p><p>"Have the Guardians reached a decision yet?"</p><p>"No and even if they did Wally doesn't want me to. Missions are different, they're not indefinite," Arley told him, shaking her head.</p><p>Dick frowned; his shoulders rolled as he breathed.</p><p>"I can always ask Artemis—"</p><p>"—Like hell you can," Arley snapped, "She's trying to get out of this life Dickie, if you ask her to do this you know she'll say yes. You'll be dragging her right back. Wally doesn't like the idea but he's on board; anything to get Savage, especially after the last time." Wordlessly Dick nodded; "I just wanted to tell you that the Guardians should have a verdict soon."</p><p>Arley had only just started to turn when Dick said something.</p><p>"Sorry," he said, "I know I'm asking a lot of you." With a wry and mirthless smile Arley looked at the cowled young man.</p><p>"Please," Arley said, "We're heroes, there's always going to be some kind of price to pay when we save the world; right now this is it."</p><p>"It's a shitty price," Dick told her; Arley's smile became much more genuine,</p><p>"Yeah," she said softly, "It really kriffing is."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>When Arley Gluck got home Roy Harper was there, sitting at the bottom of her steps, his hair had been washed and his cheeks looked slightly fuller and though it was dark out, due to the tiny porch light at the top of the stairs Arley couldn't see any new track marks on his arms.</p><p>There was also a large bag by his feet.</p><p>"Roy?" Arley blinked, Roy's head shot up and the archer got to his feet, "What-does Wally know you're here? Artemis? Holy kriff dude it's freezing out here, why aren't you in a jacket—"</p><p>"—Breath Greenie, breath." Arley's lips pressed together, Roy snickered as he looked at Arley hopefully; his bow was slung over his shoulders.</p><p>"How many times have I told you not to call me that?"</p><p>"Too many to count," Roy said; "Um, and to answer your questions no, Wally and Artemis don't know I'm down here, I needed to talk to you." </p><p>"Is everything okay?"</p><p>"Yeah-great actually," Roy said; his fingers drummed along the outside of his thighs, "Jade's in a car across the street, she has a solid lead on where the original Roy is."</p><p>"That's great," Arley said, "Let me just charge my ring—"</p><p>"—No," Roy said, cutting her off, "That's not why I came. Arley Jade left me last year—" Roy squeezed his eyes shut and sucked in a deep breath, "—When she left, she was pregnant."</p><p>Arley's mouth fell open; never in her life had she ever imagined Roy Harper as a father. Him wanting to get married had been enough of a shock; he had never seemed like the kind of guy to want to settle down.</p><p>"You have a kid?" Arley asked, Roy nodded and waved over Arley's shoulder. Arley turned just in time to see Jade Nguyen exit the passenger side of a dark, inconspicuous looking car holding a large, baby-sized bundle in her arms. A diaper bag had been thrown over her shoulder.</p><p>"Her name's Lian; we can't-we're not going to bring her on this mission with us." Jade settled on Roy's left and from the light at the top of the stairs Arley could make out the baby girl's features; she had dark eyes and a puff of auburn hair and an incredibly infectious smile that Arley couldn't help but fall instantly in love with. "That's why I'm here, we need you to watch her for us."</p><p>"You want me to watch your daughter?" Arley asked as she looked between the former League of Assassins member and Roy; "You do know her aunt is up stairs right?"</p><p>"We do," Jade said, she brought Lian closer to her chest, "But with Roy and me out of the country anyone who might know about her-anyone who would want to hurt her to get back at me or Roy, would choose now to attack."</p><p>"Artemis wouldn't let anything happen to her," Arley said defensively; she knew the Nguyen-Crock sisters weren't particularly close but that didn't mean she would allow Jade to talk ill of Artemis, not when Arley saw the former sister as her own sister.</p><p>"But she wouldn't kill the person coming after her, would she?" Jade asked, "I know my sister and there are lines she's drawn, one's she won't cross. I won't judge her for that but I can't leave my daughter knowing that either. I know you pulled strings for Roy and I got get married, for my record to be expunged—" wasn't that an understatement; Arley had all but had to threaten to arrest Batman and several other alien League members on trumped up intergalactic charges when he had pressed for Jade to be arrested, "—and I know I shouldn't ask anything more—"</p><p>"—Give me the baby," Arley said. Jade blinked.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Lian, I'm going to need to hold her if I'm going to bring her upstairs." Jade smiled larger than Arley had ever seen the dark haired woman do before.</p><p>"Thank you." Arley shrugged; she looked at Roy as Jade pressed a kiss to her daughter's head and then back at Jade with a small smile on her face.</p><p>"Roy's my family, so is Artemis and that means you and that little girl are too, no thank you's are necessary."</p><p>"Still," Jade said as she passed Lian to Arley; the Lantern cradled the baby in her arms and smiled down at her. She was so tiny. Arley felt her heart swell. "Thank you."</p><p>"Whatever, but before you leave one of you has to explain to Artemis she has a niece because I so am not doing that."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Five — Bloodlines</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"See it wasn't a coincidence, it was fate."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Ten days after Roy Harper and Jade Nguyen-Harper had dropped their daughter Lain off with Arley, Wally and Artemis, the youngest two-eight-one-four sector Lantern woke up— at the crack of dawn —to the sound of the young, five month old Harper-Nguyen baby fussing inside the pen Roy and Jade had left behind for her.</p><p>With blurred vision the Lantern gently pushed Wally's arm off her waist and stumbled out of bed, over to the auburn haired baby girl; Arley scooped the baby out of the pen and held her close to her chest, gently bouncing her as she did so.</p><p>"Hey," Arley whispered, "We got to be quiet, uncle Wally had a long day yesterday. Sides, the suns not even up yet silly girl." Lian let out a coo and Arley looked over her shoulder at Wally who had turned onto his back, the arm that had kept her anchored to him throughout the night rested on his own stomach.</p><p>"How about we go for a fly?" Arley asked the baby rhetorically, Lian's mouth opened and flashed the young, dark haired woman a gummy smile. "That's what I thought."</p><p>Arley moved out of the room— she shut the bedroom door quietly behind her —and set Lain on the couch, against a sleeping Bodie's stomach, as she slipped her feet into her own sneakers and grabbed the tiny pink jacket and knitted hat that hung on the coat rack on the door; Arley also grabbed the tiny pair of boots Lain had been wearing when Jade and Roy dropped her off.</p><p>When Arley turned back around to see that a still sleeping Bodie's paws had moved so that he was caging in the young girl and keeping her away from the couch's edge.</p><p>"Good boy," Arley praised as she slipped the hat onto the baby and then— for the next several minutes —struggled to get both of the girls feet into the boots and both her arms into the jacket; but once she was done Arley formed a baby carrier on her chest and slipped an excited Lian into the construct.</p><p>Arley reached down and scratched the side of Bodie's head.</p><p>"I'll be back okay Bodie? Hold down the fort until then?" Bodie simply rolled over so that his face was buried in the corner of the couch. Arley snorted at the vulpimancer as her uniform transformed over her pajamas.</p><p>A moment later, on her way out the door, Arley grabbed the eight crumpled dollar bills that'd been her coat pocket and the keys that'd been in Wally's before she stuck her head out to check for any neighbors. When she saw that the neighborhood around her was still asleep Arley took off into the air as Lain let out an excited shriek; the baby girl wriggled excitedly against her chest in the construct and Arley couldn't help but smile.</p><p>She couldn't help but wonder if her own children would one day like flying as much as the Nguyen-Harper baby did.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Powered down and with a bag of bagels in her hand and with Lian still strapped to her chest, Arley arrived back at the apartment nearly forty-five minutes later only to see Wally and Artemis in the kitchen chatting. Wally had been drinking tea out of the sonic mug Artemis had gotten him years ago, the words <em>Gotta Go Fast</em> were written in blue just under the speedsters hands and Artemis had a bowl of what looked like Lucky Charms in front of her.</p><p>Next to her, where one of the stools had been was Lian's highchair.</p><p>"Morning Arty, morning Handsome," Arley greeted as she kicked the door shut behind her.</p><p>"Babe," Wally grinned as he straightened up, pushing off from the counter he had been leaning against. Arley tugged off Lian's hat, "And baby."</p><p>Lian squealed at the acknowledgement; her hair messed up and stuck out in a dozen different directions.</p><p>Artemis with a mouthful of food waved in Arley and Lian's direction; though she threw a wink in her niece's direction.</p><p>Wally set his mug on the counter and before Arley could properly process what was happening Wally was in front of her and Lain was out of the baby carrier she had constructed with her ring. Arley let the construct fall and disappear as Wally turned to set Lian on the edge of the counter as he began to help her out of her jacket.</p><p>Wally handed Arley the jacket and then the little girl's shoes before he, with Lian, resting on his boney hip, pressed a kiss to her cheek.</p><p>"Love you," Wally said to Arley; the Lantern looked at the red head and pressed her lips softly against his, Lian's jacket and shoes were balled up in her hands.</p><p>"Love you more," Arley reposed and when Wally pulled back with a breath he turned to look at Lian; a brilliant and bright smile on his face.</p><p>"So baby girl, what's on the menu this morning? The peaches your parents left or some of aunt Arty's cereal?"</p><p>Arley couldn't help but beam at Wally as he set Lian down in her highchair.</p><p><em>One day,</em> she thought, <em>One day that'll be us.</em></p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>It was approaching noon when Arley and Wally— with giggling Lian in another baby sling Arley had formed from her ring —stood outside on the porch of Wally's parents home; Wally's hand was splayed across the small of the Lanterns back and though Lian was in the sling Arley rested one arm behind the five month old's knees.</p><p>The three of them— as Artemis had forgotten about term paper to write —along with Wally's parents and Hal and Guy were all supposed to meet over at Barry and Iris West's home so that they could all celebrate Joan and Jay's seventy year anniversary.</p><p>The sky above them was dark and stormy, looking as if rain would start falling at any moment.</p><p>Wally had Lians baby bag thrown over his shoulder and his goggles hung half out of his pocket and Arley had been leaning against the speedster when his mother Mary West swung the front door open; Mary West was in the latter half of her fifties, her red hair was streaked with grey and the crows feet and laugh lines on her face had become deeper then they had been the last time Arley had seen her.</p><p>"Wally!" Mary threw her arms around her son as she stepped out of the house; Wally towered over his mother and rested his chin on her head as he hugged her back just as tightly. Lian chewed on her hand curiously as Arley turned to watch the mother-son interaction.</p><p>"Hey mom," Wally said as Mary rocked him side to side for a moment, "How've you've been?"</p><p>Mary's arms dropped and the woman stepped back with an easy going smile on her face, "Good; school's out in another few months so the kids are getting a bit restless but all in all it's been quite around here now that your father and I don't have you zooming around the house."</p><p>Arley snickered; Mary turned on her heel to Arley.</p><p>"Hi dear, how are you?"</p><p>"I've been good," Arley answered; Mary beamed at the Lantern before she bent down slightly so that she was eye level with Lian.</p><p>"Hi, I'm Wally's mom, you're Lian right?" With a gummy smile Lian looked up at Arley and Arley looked down at the young girl.</p><p>"Come on say hi, Mrs. West is a really nice lady," Arley said in a high pitched voice. Lian raised the slimy, drool covered hand she had been chewing on and tangled it into Arley's long side swept ponytail. "Ah-no, L-ow, ow—" Arley started to say as Lian began to tug at her hair, Wally, with wide eyes jumped forward and gently— but firmly —began to pry Lian's ravioli sized fist opened, only to stop when a familiar ringtone started to blare from Arley's back pocket.</p><p>"You're kidding me," Wally breathed. "I thought you told the team you weren't going on missions until Roy and Jade come back on the fifth?"</p><p>"Ow-I did. Ow, come on Lian," Arley said to the baby girl. She swatted Wally's hand away and began to struggle against the five month old herself, Arley looked up at Wally as her phone began to ring, "I told Dickie to call only if it was an emergency; just answer it for me please."</p><p>"Course." Wally's hand reached into Arley's back pocket— though not before the speedster, with a cheeky grin, slipped his hand into the wrong pocket —and pulled out her phone. Wally's finger slid across the answer button and held the device up to his ear; "Hey Dick it's-what?"</p><p>Arley turned to look at Wally, her hair still tangled in Lian's hand; Mary West looked at her son with raised brows.</p><p>"You're kidding me," Wally said. The speedster looked to Arley as his lips pressed together and a breath swelled in his chest. "Alright we got it, I'll call you after." Wally slipped the phone in his own pockets; "There's a speedster from the future claiming to be aunt Iris' uncle Barry's grandson."</p><p>Travelers from the future weren't common— though they weren't completely uncommon either; Arley had met several time travelers throughout the years —and yet Arley's eyes narrowed dubiously at Wally because no matter how often she met someone from seventy-thousand years in the furniture or a cowboy from the nineteenth century, time travel never seemed anymore real then it'd been since before the first time traveler had come crashing through a time portal on the Watchtower.</p><p>"You're serious?"</p><p>"Yeah, or well Dick sounded so," Wally said as Arley finally got her hair free from Lian's grip. "Dick wants us over at aunt Iris' so we can bring them back to the cave."</p><p>Arley nodded, she turned to Mary West as she wrapped her arms around Lian and the construct around her chest disappeared.</p><p>"Do you mind watching her while we handle this?" Arley asked, Mary smiled easily at the Lantern and took the young baby from her arms,</p><p>"Of course not," Mary replied as she shifted Lian on her arms and Wally passed his mother the diaper bag once she had settled the young girl. When Mary West had stepped back and Wally had slipped his goggles over his eyes he turned to Arley with his arms outstretched.</p><p>There was nowhere for her to transform in the middle of the day and so Arley allowed Wally to sweep her legs out from underneath her and cradle her in his arms. Arley buried her head in the crook of his neck and the next thing she knew is that they were off.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>"Oos," Arley and Wally heard an unfamiliar voice say as Wally pushed open the West-Allen's front door; Arley's brows shot up as she looked at Wally, "Spoilers."</p><p>Arley shut the door behind her.</p><p>"Careful dude," Wally said, "If you are what you say you are, revealing too much could crash the whole time stream."</p><p>Arley stood next to Wally with both her brows raised as she focused on the short brown haired boy who stood only steps away from Iris. The time traveler was dressed in a white and red suit— much like the one Barry wore as the Flash and Wally had once worn as Kid Flash —and goggles.</p><p>"Crash it," The time traveler muttered with a weak smile, "If only."</p><p>Arley's head cocked to the side and her mouth opened to ask the young boy what exactly he meant when Barry cut her off,</p><p>"Wally? Arley what are you two doing here now?" They weren't due for another two hours or so she could understand Barry's confusion on why the two of them had just randomly showed up.</p><p>"Nightwing called," Wally answered, "He thought Arley and I could be some help with this mess."</p><p>Before Arley knew what was happening the boy had sped from his spot by Iris over to Wally; Wally let out a groan as the boy brought him in for a tight hug. The boys arms were wrapped around Wally's middle and arms, trapping him in the hug. Arley pressed her palm to her mouth in order to smother a giggle that bubbled in her throat.</p><p>"You're Wally West!" The time traveler exclaimed, "My first cousin once removed"</p><p>"The operative word being removed," Wally snipped as he wiggled his arms free and pushed the boy back. Arley's hand dropped;</p><p>"Come on Handsome, be nice," Arley teased; the boy spun on his heel and beamed at Arley, his eyes widened ever so slightly behind his goggles. Before she could step back— just like he had with Wally —Arley found herself in the future speedsters tight grip.</p><p>"You're Arley West—" Arley's mouth fell open as she looked at Wally over the boy's head; Wally, with wide eyes and pink cheeks looked back at Arley just as shocked at the boys declaration, "—My other first cousin once removed!" </p><p>The boy's arms dropped from around Arley and the boy peered up at her, his thumb and index finger pinched at his chin. The boy nodded as if he were agreeing with a silent statement.</p><p>"Uncle Harry's right Maria does look just like you when you were younger. I mean all your kids do-Rosie's the only one who got the red hair and everything but still, woah, it's like looking at carbon copy-that's the expression right? We don't have carbon in the future so I wouldn't know."</p><p>"A-all our kids?" Arley choked out.  She wouldn't only one day be Arley West— that's what the time traveler had called her —but all her children except for one would look like her meaning she— and Wally; one day she would have kids with Wally and though it was something Arley had been fantasizing about since high school, knowing one day she would have a life with the man she loved sent a shocking thrill up her spine —would have more than three children with Wally.</p><p>They'd have a large family together, something she had always wanted.</p><p>"Yeah-huh," the time traveler nodded so fast— for a second —he blurred; Wally looked at Arley with a small smile on his face and an indescribable look in his emerald eyes. A phone started to ring.</p><p>Barry held his up to his ears, "Hello?"</p><p>Iris waved her lit up phone in the speedsters direction.</p><p>"It's mine, babe," the reporter said.</p><p>"Don't answer that!" the time traveler shouted as he spun in Iris' direction; "I mean," the younger boy perched his hands on his hips, Wally crossed his arms over his chest and Arley leaned back on her heels, "Why interrupt the reunion?"</p><p>"It's my boss at GBS," Iris sighed, she held the phone up to her ear. "What's up Pete?" Iris' eyes widened; she held the phone to her chest as she looked at Barry, "They're evacuating downtown. A new superpowered lunatic is calling for blood. Your blood."</p><p>Barry's brows set forward into a scowl. The Speedster pressed the ring on his finger and his suit popped out— Wally, Jay and the younger teen turned away as —faster then Arley, Iris or Joan could see Barry changed into his uniform. The time traveler turned back to Barry with a hopeful smile on his face.</p><p>"Come on, Grandpa, let the League handle this guy. I mean how often does a relative from the future show up at your door?"</p><p>"Listen, I—" Barry cut himself off with pinched eyes and a deep sigh. When Barry opened his eyes he looked at Arley, "—You're with me Lantern?"</p><p>The time traveler turned to look at Arley as she rolled her eyes, her uniform appeared over her clothing and her mask over her eyes. The time traveler eyed Arley with a look of amazement.</p><p>"Duh, of course I am." Barry nodded, Arley turned and pressed a kiss to Wally's cheek. Wally's fingers wrapped around her wrist.</p><p>"Come back," Wally requested. Arley's face softened under her mask.</p><p>"To you?" Arley smiled, "Every time Handsome."</p><p>"Right, okay," he looked down at the boy claiming to be his grandson, "Stay put. I'll be back in a flash." And then he was gone before the first groan came out of Iris' mouth.</p><p>"And that's my queue, love you Handsome-get the new kid back to the cave for me," Arley said as she flew off after the Flash, out of the West-Allen household and towards downtown Central City and whatever new superpowered lunatic Iris' boss had called her about.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley got to downtown Central City second after the Flash had; she saw— as she, for a second, took in the havoc from her spot in the air —a man in some kind of suit that vaguely reminded her of Mr. Freeze from Gotham.</p><p>The villain produced red energy waves from his body as he fired energy blasts at nearby cars and people; Arley— as she saw a red blur speed by underneath her, saving a woman from getting crushed by a car one of the villains energy waves had created —used her ring for form a catchers mitt under the feet of several civilians who had been hiding behind a parked van.</p><p>The civilians let out several shrieks as they were lifted off the ground; though one of them quickly looked up.</p><p>"It's the Girl Lantern!"</p><p>The panicked screams quickly quieted. A few even cheered.</p><p>"It's Green Lantern," Arley said dryly as she moved the civilians down the block. There were three other active Lanterns on Earth, there was no reason anyone should forget she went by the same name as them especially when she had been doing it longer then either Guy or John. "And you're welcome for the save. There's a shelter at something and Gardner; get out of the danger zone quickly and make sure to help others out on the way there, alright?"</p><p>Arley didn't wait for any of the several civilians to respond before she took off towards the Flash who she saw being blown back— another catcher mitt Arley formed from her ring hung below her, ready to save the speedster before he hit the ground —only to pause midair when she saw a tiny tornado spinning underneath him. The Flash was deposited onto the concrete as the speedster from the future came to a grinning stop.</p><p>Arley's construct disappeared as she landed lightly besides the Flash.</p><p>"Nice trick," the older speedster said.</p><p>"Thanks. Dad taught me, he learned it-well, will learn it from you," the younger teen said with a grin.</p><p>"Flash!" the villain destroying downtown called out, "Prepare to meet your doom!" The villain raised his arms and fired at Arley and the two speedsters and Arley threw her ring up in front of her, greeting a thick, glowing green wall for the three of them to stand behind.</p><p>The energy blasts shook the construct but did nothing else to it; the villain fired again and once more the construct only shook. An energy wave hit the construct and though it threw trees and cars back Arley and the two speedsters who stood behind the impenetrable, unmovable wall remained untouched.</p><p>"What's with this new meat?" The boy chuckled, "He's never going to hit us."</p><p>"No but it is a standoff," Arley said; the Flash hummed. The two speedsters ran back and Arley flew into the sky before she dropped her construct; the Lantern followed the two speedsters around the street with a shield she had used her ring to construct, protecting her from the villains energy blasts.</p><p>The three landed behind a white four door car.</p><p>"He's generating cascading waves of energy, each wave starts before the previous wave dissipates, leaving no gaps at any speed," the Flash explained. "Meaning we can't get close."</p><p>"I can though," Arley said, "I can fly over the energy waves and get him that way."</p><p>"You want to fight that guy on your own?" the time traveler said; "Isn't that asking to get your ass kicked?"</p><p>"Don't curse," the Flash snapped, Arley's brows shot up as the time traveler looked at the man he claimed to be his grandfather with a smile. The Flash blinked, "Wait a minute, I told you not to come!"</p><p>The car they had been hiding behind exploded; Arley— as the speedsters she'd been crouched next to ran —flew into the air and blasted a shot of energy from her ring at the villain, only to miss as he stepped forward. The Villain stumbled; his head shot up and though the cascading waves of energy kept both the Flash and the young teenager claiming to be his grandson away the villain aimed up at Arley and began to shoot blasts of energy at her.</p><p>Arley knew she couldn't both form a construct and fire her ring so the Lantern— giving the speedsters beneath her time to think of a plan —took to dodging each blast the villain sent her way before parrying it with a blast of her own.</p><p>The Lantern and villains standoff continued on for several minutes; the villain managed to hit Arley once and then two more times causing the Lantern to drop out of the sky and careen into the hood of an already damaged car. The hood contorted and crushed around Arley, leaving the Lantern breathless as she stared up at the cloudy sky.</p><p>Arley moved to sit up and roll off the damaged hood of the car when the car was then thrown back into the air by one of the villains energy waves; Arley formed a bubble around herself and the car, as it flipped to land on her, slid off the curve of the bubble and onto its side.</p><p>"Flash, Flash, Flash-where the kriffing fuck are you?" Arley muttered to herself in a sing-song ton of voice as her construct dropped and she looked for the Central City based hero and his time traveling grandson only to spot her own boyfriend's familiar red and yellow super-suit nearby several Central City police vans. Arley shot over to Kid Flash and a Central City police captain and Kid Flash, almost as if he could sense her, half-turned to Arley before she landed.</p><p>"Protecting the city is what they pay me for Speedy," the captain snapped at Kid; Arley's brows shot up at the captain's harsh tone. Arley rested a hand between the speedsters shoulder blades. The Flash and the Flash's grandson appeared next to her and Arley, Kid Flash and the captain all jumped.</p><p>"No Speedy's the other guy, though the history books never really explain why," the younger speedster said. The Flash set a hand on his grandsons shoulder,</p><p>"Let's please, try to stay focused," The Flash said. The Flash looked at the pudgy, mustached police captain, he most certainly knew in his everyday, civilian life. "Captain, the best way to protect this city is to keep its citizens out of harm's way and at a safe distance. You handle that—"</p><p>"—And you handle Neutron, right?" The younger speedster wondered.</p><p>"Right," The Flash nodded, "Wait, his name's Neutron?"</p><p>Arley turned with her hand still between Kid Flash's shoulder blades. The youngest of the three speedsters blinked innocently at his apparent grandfather.</p><p>"Yeah sure, heard him shout it. Like bad guys do," the boy raised his arm and shook it, as he deepened his voice, "I'm Neutron and all of you will die. Anyway what's the plan?"</p><p>"Remember that wind tunnel you used to save me?" Flash wondered.</p><p>"Sure I do, I was there, so were you and the most beautiful Lantern in this sector," the younger boy turned his head and over dramatically preened in Arley's direction; Arley held back a comment on how he must have been the type of four year old who wanted to marry his mother and instead simply rolled her eyes good naturedly in the boys direction, "Anyway good times."</p><p>"We do it on a bigger scale, you, me and Kid Flash, all around the perimeter of the explosive wave—"</p><p>"—The funnel—" the time traveler said, his voice speeding up.</p><p>"—We get Lantern-in a bubble—" the Flash said just slightly faster.</p><p>"—And move him out of the city!" The two speedsters continued to speak faster and faster and Arley shared a look with Kid Flash and the Central City police captain as they listened in on the two Allens' chatter.</p><p>"Are either of you getting any of this?" The captain wondered. Arley shook her head and Kid Flash shrugged,</p><p>"Every fifth word, maybe. Flash," Kid said in his uncle's direction, "Yo Flash!"</p><p>The Flashs' head snapped towards Arley and Kid, his grandson's head also turned in their direction.</p><p>"Sorry I got sidetracked, are you two on board?" Arley threw her hands up in front of her, she'd completely lost them after the speedster from the future had mentioned moving the villain out of the city. Kid looked at the other two speedsters as if they'd grown a second head.</p><p>"With what? I heard something about Lantern in a bubble and funnel cake."</p><p>"Just follow our lead Kid, Lantern," the younger boy said with a wave as he and the Flash took off. Kid Flash looked at the captain and then at Arley,</p><p>"See you after the fight?" Arley pressed a kiss to the speedsters cheek, on the edge of his mask,</p><p>"Course you will. Love you, be safe," and with that, as Kid sped away Arley took to the skies; she hovered over where the villain— Neutron —was and waited, the three speedsters began to circle the villain and slowly— but surely —lift him up into the air.</p><p>"No!" Neutron cried, Arley raised her ring and enclosed him into a bubble she had made with her ring "This will not stand!" Arley's construct shook as more and more energy waves rolled off the villain. Arley had only just started to move when Neutron began to glow from the inside out. The man's eyes burned yellow and his skin glowed orange.</p><p><em>Arley,</em> Aniell hissed; Arley gritted her teeth as the inside of her construct began to fill with red, cracks appeared and the glow of the red energy Neutron had released began to spurt out from the cracks. <em>You need to get out of the blast zone.</em> Arley ignored her ring and willed the cracks in her construct to smooth over only for new ones to appear.</p><p>Aniell and Arley had one shot; the Lantern knew this, but she also knew she would one day be Arley West so she continued to grit her teeth as she gave the three speedsters more time to get away.</p><p>
  <em>Arley!</em>
</p><p><em>Now Aniell!</em> Heat raced up Arley's arm as the construct shattered; Arley— encased in a bright glowing green light —was blown back and into the corner of a building and out of the air as the large blast of energy Neutron overtook the area around her. Arley, though mostly impervious to harm, instinctively threw her arms up in front of her face as the energy continued to push her back into the side of the building.</p><p>When the blast had faded and all that was left was smoke and a crater that hadn't been there before, Arley, on shaky glowing green legs stood up. The green light of will that bathed her very being danced around her body, like living green flames.</p><p>Slowly Arley approached the crater. </p><p><em>Arley</em>, Aniell hissed, <em>Be careful.</em></p><p><em>Trust me,</em> Arley thought back with a half smile,<em> I think after all these years I know what I'm doing. Besides, I have you, I don't need to be careful.</em> Aniell snickered in the corners of the Lantern's mind. Arley peeked over the edge of the crater, ready to see a charred body scattered into bits a pieces only nearly stumbled back at the sight of the unexpected.</p><p>Neutron's body had slowly begun putting itself back together.</p><p>"Charaya's soul," Arley gasped as Neutron glowed yellow, just as he'd done before his suit exploded. Arley, still glowing green, stepped back, ready to fly only to stop when she heard Neutron's panicked voice.</p><p>"What's going on?" The villain asked, "How did I get here! What's happened to me!"</p><p><em>He wasn't in control;</em> Arley wasn't sure if Aniell had said that or if she herself had thought it, Arley was a hero and though heroes fought villains Arley knew that the person several feet below her in the crater sounded nothing more than a scared child.</p><p>Arley took several steps back when a bubble of energy enveloped the crater, separating her from Neutron.</p><p><em>Arley,</em> Aniell hissed, <em>You should get out of here, he is going to blow again.</em></p><p><em>Then we need to get him out of here and to the fields outside the city,</em> Arley thought back.</p><p><em>Because that worked so well the last time? Arley, he could kill you in a second blast. You're not invincible like this, get away.</em> Aniell sounded serious but Arley looked at the glowing boy in the crater and then at her hand where her ring should be.</p><p>She was called the Morningstar because when she went green— bright, burning, green —she ended fights; like the rising sun, she signaled the end of a battle. She was going to end this.</p><p>
  <em>Have a little faith Aniell.</em>
</p><p>Arley once more raised her ring once more, her feet lifted off the ground as she got ready to fly herself and Neutron away only to turn when she heard two shouts. Arley saw both the Flash and the Flash's time traveling grandson skidding along the burnt up asphalt; behind her the bubble she had constructed around Neutron fell as her concentration broke.</p><p>Light shined brightly from the corner of her eye and Arley's head snapped back towards Neutron as he began to glow brighter. Far brighter than even Arley was doused and bathed in green.</p><p>"Get outta the blast zone babe!" Kid Flash's voice sounded as both he and a tin hat wearing Jay Garrick— the first Flash —sped into view. Arley didn't wait to reply as she shot up into the sky, high above even the tallest of Central Cities skyscrapers.</p><p>Arley saw— as the green faded from her body —Neutrons blast swell and swell and swell, destroying everything it touched as both Jay and Wally— with Barry thrown over Wally's shoulder and Barry's future grandson tucked under Jay's arm, much like a football —ran.</p><p>When the blast had settled Arley landed where the four speedsters had stooped.</p><p>"Is everyone—" Wally's arms had circled around Arley's shoulders, cutting her off before she could even finish her question. The young woman's feet lifted slightly off the debris covered street as Wally picked her up into the bone crushing hug. The yellow and red clad hero buried his face into the side of her neck.</p><p>"—Hey Wally," Arley said softly, her lips brushed against the redhead's ear, "I'm okay."</p><p>Wally breathed after a minute— it was a deep raggedy breath —and then, slowly, he released Arley and the bottom of her feet once more touched the concrete; the young man cupped her face with an intense glint in his eyes.</p><p>"You got caught in the first blast," Wally breathed. "You're sure?"</p><p>"Cross my heart handsome," Arley swore; Wally's hand fell from her face and Arley threaded her fingers through his as she squeezed his hand. Wally nodded and his lips pressed together before he turned to the youngest of the four speedsters. Arley could see her boyfriend's eyes narrowed behind his giggles.</p><p>"You realize you almost got them both killed right!" Wally demanded in a heated tone; the hand Arley wasn't using to hold Wally's pressed against the red heads shoulder as he took a step forward.</p><p>"Kid!" Arley protested, as Barry and Iris West-Allens grandson hung his head.</p><p>"Sorry, I—"</p><p>"Actually he saved me, Lantern too probably," Barry said as he set a hand on his future grandson's shoulder. "Neutrons overload accelerated, even at our top speeds, Lantern and I would have never been able to make it to the desert in time."</p><p>"Flash is right," Arley said softly, "Honestly I-Aniell doesn't think I would have never been able to contain Neutron if he blew in my construct," Arley added, she looked up at Wally, "The kid saved our lives-you all did."</p><p>Wally's grip on her hand tightened as the corners of his lips twitched up. Wally brought his and Arley's jointed hands up and, with his eyes locked with Arley's, pressed a firm kiss onto her knuckles.</p><p>Barry turned to look at Jay Garrick who seemed more and more weathered as the days went by, no longer his youthful and spry self.</p><p>"What are you doing here, you're retired! You could have died!" Jay chuckled.</p><p>"Please, Joan's going to kill me for putting on the tin hat," Jay said. Arley turned to make a joke about how anyone would kill him for putting on a tin hat only to notice that Barry and Iris Allens future grandson was no longer by the eldest speedster side.</p><p>"Where'd the kid go?" Barry's head swiveled towards the still smoldering crater.</p><p>"One guess," Barry said with the ghost of a mirthful smile playing on his lips. Arley looked to Wally, a playful grin on her face;</p><p>"I'll race you to him-loser cleans Lians diapers tonight?" Wally pressed a chaste kiss to Arley's lips, the young Lantern leaned back as Wally pressed his hand against the small of her back and dipped her into the kiss.</p><p>When he pulled away, Wally's eyes twinkled; "You're so on!"</p><p>And then he was gone; Barry and Jay let out two loud laughs and Arley's mouth fell open. The Lantern jumped into the air,</p><p>"Cheater!" She called out with a grin as she shit after the speedster; only to turn away when she did see Wally and the future West-Allen's grandson standing in the crater, both of them in front of a naked young man.</p><p>"Woah!" Arley shouted, "A little warning would have been nice," Arley snapped with her back turned to the defeated villain. There were some things Arley didn't need to see; snuff films involving animals, the Justice League roleplay-porn videos that were usually pinned to the very top of every porn site, and naked super villain's were just three of the things she did not need to see.</p><p>"Someone might want to get him a blanket or something," Barry and Iris' grandson said; Arley heard the familiar zooming sound of a speedster running and peaked over her shoulder to see Barry setting a thick wooly blanket over the young man's shoulders.</p><p>"What happened to me?" Neutron asked feebly.</p><p>"We're not sure son," Jay answered. Wally's hand was on his goggles.</p><p>"But it looks like it's over," Wally said, "His heat signature reads normal human now."</p><p>"What did happen?" Jay asked with a faint smile and his hands on his hips.</p><p>"No idea," the time traveler said, "Guess old Neutron just ran out of juice." The bald, humanoid Neutron looked around at the heroes, his hand clasped the blanket closed tightly in front of himself.</p><p>"Who's Neutron?"</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>With Artemis watching Lian Arley found herself back at the Mount Justice Cave with Dick, Mal, Tim and Garfield, along with Barry, Wally, Jay and the time traveler— who's name Arley had learned was Bart —as Dick read off the DNA test results he had ran once Bart had claimed to be Barry and Iris West-Allen's grandson.</p><p>The young speedsters bulky time machine sat in the middle of the room.</p><p>"Impulse's DNA matches up with both Iris' and you, Barry. And this thing is giving off both zeta and chronotron radiation," Dick said.</p><p>"Which is," Wally said; Arley was tucked under the speedsters shoulder, "Based on past League experiences, what you'd expect radiating off a time machine." Barry put his hand on Bart's shoulder.</p><p>"Which means you're exactly who you say you are." Bart laughed,</p><p>"Told you!" The boy explained as he stepped away from his grandfather, "Anyway it's been crash, but the future awaits so I've got to run!" Jay sagged forward and Wally seemed to slump backwards; Barry though— as Arley snorted at the young boy —smiled proudly at his grandson. "See what I did there? That was for you gramps!"</p><p>Barry stepped forward.</p><p>"Bart, thanks for coming. I look forward to—" Barry paused, "—Meeting you again for the first time and watching you grow up."</p><p>Arley saw a soft smile overtake the young boys face as he looked up at his grandfather.</p><p>"That will be crash," Bart said; gently he hugged his grandfather before he stepped back and into the time machine he'd come from the future in. "Anyway so long!"</p><p>The time machines door shut behind the young West-Allen and air puffed out the sides. Arley waited for the whirl of the engines and the lights expectantly.</p><p>"Maybe he's traveling forward one second at a time?" Garfield proposed, only for Bart to kick open the door of the machine angrily.</p><p>"It's not working!" Bart exclaimed as he stepped out of the machine, "The whole thing's fried!"</p><p>Bart kicked the side of the machine.</p><p>"Can you fix it?" Arley asked, Bart turned to her with a look of dread and frustration building in his eyes.</p><p>"I'm a tourist not a chronal expert. Look at me—" Bart threw his hands up in the air, "—I'm stuck in the stupid past. I'm so moded!"</p><p>"Hey," Arley said as she stepped up, away from Wally, "It's okay, let's just breath alright." Arley turned to Dick, "Who do we have on world right now that's familiar with time travel?" Dick shrugged,</p><p>"No one, all the League members who know anything about time travel are on their way to Rimbor right now." Bart turned to to masked hero,</p><p>"So let's call them!"</p><p>"Can't" Dick replied with a shake of the head, ""Rimbor's across the galaxy, it takes two months to get there and even if they could turn right around they can't, the Leaguers going to Rimbor need to stand trial so that they can clear their names."</p><p>"So I'm stuck here?" Bart asked rhetorically.</p><p>"Bart," Barry said, "It's okay, we'll figure something out, we'll get you home." Bart shifted his weight from foot to foot and nodded, "Until then, in the meantime we need to figure out where you're staying."</p><p>"You can stay with me and Joan, we have a spare room," Jay said. Bart looked up at Jay with a small smile,</p><p>"You're sure?"</p><p>"Of course I am, you're family after all." Barry nodded at Jay's words; the speedster looked at his future grandson who slowly nodded himself.</p><p>"Okay," Bart said, "I-thank you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Six — Depths</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"</strong>
  </em>
  <strong>
    <em>Tis a fearful thing, to love what death can touch.</em>
  </strong>
  <em>
    <strong>"</strong>
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</p><p> </p><p>Arley had died once; long before the ring had ever graced Arley's finger. When her mother had given birth to her Arley hadn't been breathing due to birth complications. For all intents and purposes Arley Gluck had been dead. The doctor and nurses in the room had of course been able to save her and bring her back to the land of the living, but still, the first several minutes Arley had spent on Earth had been spent being dead.</p><p>Arley stepped out of her and Wally's bedroom with a duffle bag over her shoulder and her heart hammering in her chest. Wally was on the couch, Gordon Godfrey's show was on— the man was talking about Carol Ferris and the Ferris Aircraft launch —and Bodie was gnawing on a large metal pipe Arley and Wally had brought home for him weeks before.</p><p>Artemis had left for class hours before— just as she would every other day —and Lian had gone back to her parents once they had returned from saving the original Roy Harper from the clutches of the League of Shadows.</p><p>"Hey," Arley said, her back leaned against her and Wally's closed bedroom door and Wally's eyes shut for a moment. Arley's eyes traveled over the slope of his nose and the curve of his cheek; Arley knew she had Wally Wests face memorized— she had his smile and his laugh and the sound of his voice when he first woke up, all committed to memory —but still, she couldn't help but look at the speedster as she took him in.</p><p>The speedster clicked the off button on the remote next him and stood; Arley moved and the two for a moment stood facing each other. There was a thick tension in the air and Arley's hand twitched; the Lantern pressed her hand against Wally's cheek and Wally's hand cupped it.</p><p>"I'm not happy about this," Wally said.</p><p>"I know," Arley breathed. "But you know why I have to do this."</p><p>She couldn't continue to allow Savage to walk around, she couldn't wait for the immortal Neanderthal to make the first move and hope that, that would be when she caught him; not after what he had done to Wally and Artemis— and her —four years ago.</p><p>"I know but you shouldn't have to," Wally said, his eyes flickered down and Arley stepped closer. "Dick's my best friend-our friend, he shouldn't be putting you in this position. It's dangerous."</p><p>"Hey," Arley said softly, "In case you forgot Handsome, I'm a Green kriffing Lantern. If Dickie didn't come up with this plan I'm sure the Guardians would have at some point-and if they didn't I'm sure I'd still be in one dangerous situation or another."</p><p>Wally sighed.</p><p>"Wally," Arley said, "Nothing is going to happen. Kaldur will have my back the whole time, okay?"</p><p>"But what if it does, it's the Light-Savage. Arley—" Arley pressed her lips to Wally's. The kiss was firm; Arley's other hand threaded through Wally's hair and the speedster's arms circled around her waist as he pulled her close. Arley moved her lips against Wally's and when she pulled away she looked up at the speedster through her lashes.</p><p>"Trust me, okay?" Arley asked. "I'm coming back to you-no matter what I'm coming home."</p><p>"I love you," Wally said as he breathed, "I know I'm going to see you later but I love you," Wally told her in a desperate voice; like he wasn't sure he was going to see her later and that he needed Arley to know, "So much Glowstick."</p><p>"I love you more Genius."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Conner, Dick, Mal and Arley stood around the Mount Justice Meeting Chamber, Bart Allen and the Original Roy Harpers pictures were blown up wide on the computer screen. Roy's picture was of him sleeping in his Star City hospital room, the stump of his arm was bandaged and his head had been shaved; he looked younger than the fifteen he had been cryogenically frozen at.</p><p>The picture of Bart was of him smiling, one of his arms was around Wally's shoulders and the other was wrapped behind Barry's waist as Jay Garrick stood behind him. Iris was in the picture too, her hands were on her flat stomach and though she herself wasn't a speedster she was carrying two of them so Arley and Joan had ushered her into the second speedster family picture; the first being of just the men and Bart.</p><p>"They're both going to end up our responsibility, aren't they?" Mal asked; Arley snorted as Dick sighed.</p><p>"Not necessarily," Dick said, "Bart-Impulse, is staying with Jay and Joan Garrick in Central City. Roy the original Speedy is recuperating at Royal Memorial Hospital at Star City. Arrows, both Green and Red are watching over him."</p><p>"But when Bart settles in and Roy wakes up," Arley smiled, "They're going to end up being our responsibility, aren't they?"</p><p>Mal's lips tipped upwards, "Of course they are."</p><p>"But doesn't everything?" Conner said, Conner looked at Dick, "Where are we on identifying the Lights new partner?"</p><p>Dick sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>"No progress," Dick told them and Arley shifted from foot to foot as the small smile she'd been wearing slipped off her face. They would have answers soon enough.</p><p>A giggle— M'gann's giggle —echoed through the hall and into the Meeting Chamber; Arley and the others turned to the Martian and the gilled Atlantean walk through the Meeting Chamber doors; a plate of crab cakes levitated in front of the Atlantean.</p><p>"La'gaan," M'gann laughed as her boyfriend threw two crab cakes into his mouth, "Don't eat so fast." La'gaan smiled at M'gann.</p><p>"I can't help it Angelfish. The idea of cooking crabs is amazing enough but the idea of making them into little cakes-" La'gaan cut himself off as he stuffed another crab cake into his mouth and M'gann let out another giggle.</p><p>"You're going to choke."</p><p>"If only," Conner muttered. Arley swallowed back a laugh as she shared a humorous look with Dick. M'gann picked up a crab cake and held it between her fingers, the Martian held the crab cake up to the Atlantean boys lips.</p><p>"Here let me," M'gann said as La'gaan swooped in and stole the crab cake from between the Martian girls fingers. La'gaan had barely chewed the food in his mouth before he half turned to Conner.</p><p>"If that's not true love, then I don't know what is, chum," La'gaan said.</p><p>Arley's brows quirked up at the Atlantean's borderline passive aggressive jab. Conner's back straightened and his shoulders rolled and for a second Arley thought the clone would say something to the Atlantean but instead Conner looked at Dick and Mal and Arley.</p><p>"Isn't it time for the briefing?" Conner wondered and Dick nodded; the former boy wonder's heels clicked and his chin tipped upwards. It reminded Arley of Kilowog and how the Bolovaxian would look as he went down the line of rookies each morning during boot camp.</p><p>Arley sandwiched Mal between her and M'gann as Conner stood on her other side.</p><p>"Right," Dick turned and pressed something against the computer monitor's keyboard; an image of the Ferris Aircraft rocket appeared and Arley couldn't help but beam at the sight. Karma-Tui, John's wife, was like Arley's mother and had been for years but long before Katma was anything more than a fellow Corpsmen it had been Carol Ferris who had been the woman to step up to the plate.</p><p>Carol had been the one to give Arley the sex talk— at thirteen Guy had told Arley about safe sex, it had been Carol, who when Arley was seventeen, sat the girl down and actually spoken to her about sex —and Carol had been the woman to help Arley buy her first box of tampons and though it had been Dinah who Arley first asked about birth control— because she knew some anti-depressants made birth control ineffective so she knew before anything she would have to talk to Dinah —it had been Carol who had gone with the girl to the pharmacy that first time.</p><p>"The mission is Cape Canaveral," Dick said. "It's a covert operation to safeguard the first Earth-to-Mars com-sat. There are people out there who don't even like the idea of aliens and will do anything to scrub this launch." M'ganns head hung low and Arley reached past Mal to grab her friend's hand, M'gann looked at Arley.</p><p>"Like I've always Megs, let them say something to your face-I dare them to." M'gann smiled at the Lantern and Arley's heart squeezed in her chest. The undercover mission was supposed to only last a few months but who's to say M'gann wouldn't hate her afterwards— no one could say M'gann would ever smile at her again after everything came to light —who's to say Conner and Artemis would still want her around?</p><p>Who's to say Guy or John or Hal would ever speak to her again when she reemerged from the grave?</p><p>"So why are you going?" Mal asked and with an impish grin Dick faced the taller man.</p><p>"Let's just say that after running this team for a year, I'm peckish for a little action."</p><p>Mal cracked a smile in Dick's direction and the ex-football players teeth peeked out from behind his lips. Mal looked at Arley,</p><p>"Won't Carol know it's you behind the mask?" Mal then turned to look at Conner, "And doesn't Carol know you too?"</p><p>"Arley won't be working with Carol directly, she's in charge of making sure all the astronauts aboard get to the rocket safely and unharmed," Dick said. "Superboy will be in the air disguised as Superman-Miss M will be disguised as her uncle; we can't let the world know that most of our heavy hitters are off-world." Mal tipped his head back,</p><p>"And you're sure they won't recognize you-Hal works with them doesn't he?" Arley nodded,</p><p>"Yeah but how well do all of your dad's coworkers know you?" Arley wondered, Mal nodded after a moment, "Besides, the three astronauts being sent up with the com-sat have probably met me ten times over the past twelve years so I doubt they'll see me and think, that's Jordans kid, you know? It's Carol that could probably uncover who I was under the mask from a mile away."</p><p>"Right," Mal nodded.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>The three Ferris employees who had all been picked for the space mission were Quinton Blackwater, a thirty-two year old Native American man who Hal only ever sometimes mentioned, Harry Sullivan, a forty four year old Ferris Aircraft employ who had started with the company back before Carol's father had passed away and Juniper Harlow, a thirty-eight year old lesbian who constantly told Hal off for his late paperwork and was a mother of three children Arley had once gotten stuck watching over at a company Christmas party.</p><p>The sun was setting over Cap Canaveral. Arley could hear Carol Ferris' voice declare that they were at T-minute one hour until the launch as she led the three astronauts into the Ferris Rocket ship. Arley's hair had been pulled up into a ponytail and Juniper, who was at the very end of the line of Ferris employees, stopped as she and the others reached the rocket ship door.</p><p>"Mrs. Harlow?" Arley blinked, Juniper's short blonde hair was choppy and the dark roots were growing back in; the very top of her hair blew in the breeze. The other two Ferris employees ducked into the rocket ship.</p><p>"My kids, my youngest is five and my twins are eight; they're watching this at home and I was hoping maybe you could-before you leave, if you could autograph something for them and give it to Mrs. Ferris so that they could get it. They think you and the other League members are amazing and well, I know it'd make their day if they got your signature."</p><p><em>No,</em> Arley wanted to say; there was no way she'd be able to do any of that because by the end of the night she would be dead but instead Arley smiled. "Of course, though I'm sure when you and the others come back your autograph will be worth more then mine is." </p><p>"You think so?" </p><p>"Of course, I mean, you'll be one of the people reasonable for founding an alliance between Earth and Mars."</p><p>"Thank you," Juniper Harlow said with a bright smile and she stuck her hand out so that Arley could shake it, and Arley did. It was more formal than the handshake Juniper Harlow had given her the few times they'd met before but Arley supposed that was good; formal meant Juniper Harlow didn't recognize her.</p><p>When Arley's hand dropped from the older woman the Lantern saluted the astronaut.</p><p>"Have a safe trip ma'am." Juniper Harlow saluted right back,</p><p>"Stay safe down here." The ball that's been caught in Arley's throat grew and for a second it was almost impossible to breathe. Arley's arm dropped, as did Juniper Harlow's and for a second both women looked at each other; the second passed and Arley stepped back, Juniper Harlow pivoted on her heel and turned back to the rocket.</p><p>The woman disappeared into the Ferris spacecraft and the door swung shut behind her with a hiss. Arley waited a moment and then another before she turned; her feet lifted up off of the catwalk that led to the rocket ship and the Lantern flew down to where Nightwing had instructed her to meet him once the astronauts were all safely inside the rocket.</p><p>"They're all safe?" Nightwing asked as Arley's feet settled on the metal flooring. Arley nodded,</p><p>"Yeah. Mrs. Harlow wants me to autograph something for her kids and give it to Carol-think the team could do that?" Nightwings lips pressed together, his grip on his binoculars tightened.</p><p>"I doubt anyone is going to want to be signing any autographs after this."</p><p>Arley blinked and turned to the setting sun.</p><p>"You know, if nothing else, we at least have a nice view. I mean a beach side view?" Arley peaked over her shoulder in Nightwings direction, a grim smile playing on her lips. "Totally to die for."</p><p>Nightwing didn't smile back at her but his nose twitched as if he was going to. Nightwing raised a finger to the communication in his ear.</p><p>"Miss M link us up," Nightwing said and Arley felt her mind splinter. She felt her friends and teammate's take their place in her mind; what had once been such a foreign feeling in the back of her head had become natural over the years.</p><p><em>"Link established,"</em> Miss Martian said. Arley formed a pair of binoculars with her ring; the construct glowed on her hand.</p><p><em>"Good,"</em> Nightwing thought,<em> "Begin aerial sweep of the Capes perimeter."</em> Nightwing raised his binoculars to his eyes.</p><p><em>"Hey Boss, I'd be happy to join my Angelfish on the assignment,"</em> Lagoon Boy said through the link and Arley thought of Wally and his smile in that moment if only to stop the Atlantean and Martian from sensing her overwhelming urge to roll her eyes.</p><p>The sun finally began to fully dip over the watery horizon. Aniell hummed on Arley's finger in reassurance.<em> Everything will work out,</em> Aniell said<em>, </em><em>Everything will be fine.</em></p><p><em>Of course it will be,</em> Arley thought back to her ring,<em> I have you with me.</em></p><p><em>"Negative Lagoon Boy," </em>Nightwing said, <em>"You're right where I need you. You're giving me maximum coverage down there in case there's any attempt of sabotage."</em> The stars began to peek out more as the sky constrained to darken and for a moment everything was silent.</p><p>Nightwing sighed; "I know I'm not Wally's favorite person at the moment but for what it's worth I am sorry."</p><p>Arley peeled her eyes away from the construct in her hands and looked to one of her oldest friends.</p><p>"You don't have anything to be sorry for; stuff like this, it comes with the job." Nightwing turned to Arley fully, the small of his back pressed against the metal railing. "Besides when this is all over I'm the one that's going to have to be sorry." Everyone would hate her for her deception; after the mission Arley was sure she'd be alone.</p><p>"The team-Hal and Guy and John and the other Lanterns, they'll understand. I make sure they do," Nightwing promised and Arley shot the nineteen year old a hollow smile. Dick Grayson could do a lot of things but Green Lanterns were stubborn and bullheaded and if they didn't want to do something, nothing could make them.</p><p><em>"Heads up minnows," </em>Lagoon Boys' voice echoed through Arley and the team's mind; for a second Arley could see— the Black Manta ships heading for the shores —through Lagoon Boys eyes.<em> "We got bad guys; Black Manta's troopers. They're working some kind of Platform beneath the surface just off shore. I'm taking them down!"</em></p><p><em>"Delay that,"</em> Nightwing ordered, <em>"Wait for backup."</em></p><p><em>"I'll scrounge a rebreather from the cargo and help the rookie out,"</em> Superboy said through the link; Arley felt Lagoon Boys anger spike through the link so much so that the Lantern could practically taste it.</p><p><em>"Rookie,"</em> Lagoon Boy snapped, <em>"Neptune's beard! I don't need any help from the boy of steel!"</em></p><p><em>"Lagoon boy!" </em>Arley snapped through the link as she felt the Atlantean attack one of Black Manta's men, <em>"You have your orders, stand down!"</em></p><p><em>"Sorry you guys are breaking up,"</em> Lagoon boy said, "<em>Chee-keeh—"</em></p><p><em>"—There's no static on a psychic link!"</em> Nightwing snapped, interrupting the Atlantean's fake static. Black Manta's men rushed out of the water; their guns drawn as they did so. Arley turned to Nightwing.</p><p><em>"We got company,"</em> Arley jerked her head in the direction of Manta's men and Nightwing turned just as the henchmen had started to shoot in their direction. Arley held her hand out to Nightwing and the Bludhaven hero took it; Arley flew down off of the scaffolding they had positioned themselves on and dropped herself and Nightwing behind the wall that encased the launch sight.</p><p>"<em>Superboy you have that rebreather?" </em>Nightwing asked as he and Arley pressed their backs against the wall.</p><p><em>"Negative," </em>Superboy answered, <em>"La'gaan didn't restock."</em></p><p><em>"Then take the helm,"</em> Nightwing ordered, "<em>Miss Martian gill up and help Lagoon boy. Superboy, we need cover fire down here."</em></p><p><em>"Acknowledged," </em>Miss Martian said, <em>"Bio-ship reconfigured for manual flight. La'gaan, I'm on my way!"</em></p><p><em>"That's our queue!"</em> Arley peaked over the top of the wall when she heard the bio-ships' familiar blaster fire only to be pulled back down— and out of the way of a blast Manta's men had shot their way —by Nightwing.</p><p>"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Dick snapped. Arley felt a piece of her mind go dark; Arley didn't need to see the Atlantean to know Lagoon Boy had been knocked out.</p><p>"No but we're on the wrong side of this wall in case you hadn't noticed," Arley replied.</p><p>Arley caught sight of a missile shooting towards the Ferris Spacecraft; Arley fired a blast of energy at the weapon and exploded it before it could touch the rocket or the astronauts inside of it. Alarms began to blare and smoke began to emit from the rocket as the catwalk that the astronauts had taken to the ship began to pull back; Arley turned to look at the Warning sign behind her and Nightwing.</p><p>"We're really on the wrong side of this wall," Arley pressed.</p><p>A second missile fired from the ocean depths and before it had even fully emerged from the water Superboy had shot it; Black Manta's henchmen's flinched at the light that had come from the exploding missile.</p><p>Arley and Nightwing peeked over the top of the wall as the alarm behind them continued to blare only to drop back down into a crouch when the henchmen had begun to fire at them once more.</p><p>"Here," Nightwing said; the former boy wonder passed Arley a small green, pinky nail sized pill. Arley knew exactly what it was the moment Dick had produced it. With a heavy heart the Lantern took it. "Keep it under your tongue until your queue."</p><p>"Right," Arley murmured as she tucked the capsule under her tongue. It felt odd.</p><p>More smoke began to billow out from the rocket's engines and Arley looked at Nightwing, "We really need to get on the other side of this wall."</p><p>"The troopers helmets are designed to enhance vision underwater right?" Nightwing asked Arley; the Lantern's lips twisted upwards— the pill shifted under her tongue as she did so —and a small, bright glowing light began to form from her ring. The ball began to grow brighter as it swelled and Arley willed the construct over the wall.</p><p>"Move!" Nightwing had ordered when he and Arley had heard the henchmen shout. Nightwing jumped over the wall and Arley flew; both their feet landed on the sandy ground but neither hero stopped to pause, both Arley and Nightwing rushed towards Black Manta's men.</p><p>Another missile shot out of the water only for Superboy to shoot it down before it got too close to the spaceship.</p><p>Nightwing jumped at three of Black Manta's men; his escrima sticks twirled in his hands as he attacked. Arley— as another missile exploded overhead —brought her fist down on the helmet of the henchmen who had tried to sneak up behind Nightwing. The front of the man's helmet shattered under Arley's fist and the Lantern brought her foot up; she kicked him hard enough in the stomach so that he went flying back, his gun clattered to the ground by Arley's feet.</p><p>A glowing green bo staff formed in Arley's hand and the Lantern brought up the staff as another of Black Manta's men rushed at her; effortlessly the twenty-one year old hero batted the henchmen away. The bo staff disappeared as one of Manta's men took aim at her and Arley fired a shot from her ring at the man. Arley did the same to another henchman; the henchman flew back and skidded across the sandy ground.</p><p>Arley ducked and rolled out of the way as one of Manta's men shot at her. Arley swiped the gun of the man's hands and side stepped the punch he had aimed at her, a bo staff once more formed in Arley's hand as she jumped behind the henchmen and the Lantern brought one end of the staff down onto the back of the man's helmet.</p><p>Arley ducked out of the way from a blast and Arley spun; from the corner of her eye she saw the henchmen she had just taken down move. Arley caught a gleam of silver in the moonlight; the henchmen brandished a knife in his hand— Arley saw Nightwing start to run towards her —and just as the henchmen swung his arm out, Arley turned. Arley's leg swung up and knocked the weapon from the henchmen's hand and then the heel of her foot knocked against the side of his helmet.</p><p>The construct in Arley's hand had disappeared and Arley— as the henchmen stumbled back —fired a blast of energy at the masked man; the man landed with a thud at Nightwings feet.</p><p>Nightwing blinked at her.</p><p>"What?" Arley caught sight of blonde hair over Nightwings shoulder and the Lantern stepped forward; Nightwing turned with her and for a second the pair of them watched Kaldur'ahm— dressed in the usual Black Manta garb all the men under the villain wore —emerge from the Cape Canaveral coast line.</p><p><em>"They've taken La'gaan,"</em> Miss Martian panicked through the link, <em>"I'm going after him!"</em></p><p><em>"The priority is the missiles,"</em> Superboy told her before Nightwing or Arley could. One missile hit the scaffolding Arley and Nightwing had been on earlier that night and then a second hit the scaffolding next to it. "<em>There's too many, I'm not keeping up."</em></p><p>The mindlink went down and Arley felt the pieces of her mind that had taken refuge in her teammates minds snap back to her. Arley ignored her pounding heart; something had happened to Miss Martian.</p><p>Arley shared a look with Nightwing; they hadn't planned on something happening to Miss Martian, they hadn't planned on Lagoon Boy being taken. Like all their covert missions this one was falling apart.</p><p>"Kaldur," Arley stepped up, she could feel the pill in her mouth move as she spoke, "You don't have to do this!"</p><p>"I believe I do" The water around Kaldur began to glow as he moved his water barers and the team's former leader urged the water to shoot towards Nightwing and Arley, both of whom were thrown back onto the sandy ground.</p><p>Arley and Nightwing go to their feet; the Ferris spacecraft shoot into the air with a deafening roar. Scorching, yellow clouds of smoke rolled over the top of the wall and if it weren't for the projections her mask gave her Arley doubted she would have been able to look at the spacecraft as it shot higher and higher into the air.</p><p>"Arley!" Nightwing pointed and Arley caught sight of a small missile heading straight for the ship; with a blast from her ring Arley shot at the missile and the fire coming from the Ferris Spacecrafts engines swallowed the missiles explosion.</p><p>"Arley behind you!" Arley spun and saw Kaldur— with war hammers he had formed using his water barers —beat Nightwing away. The pill had tucked under her tongue settled in her cheek as the Lantern rushed towards her teen-hood friend. Arley blocked the hit Kaldur had swung towards her and the Lantern brought her fist up, aiming for the Atlantean's solar plexus, only for the sword Kaldur had formed to hit her side.</p><p><em>I'll see you on the other side,</em> Aniell said in Arley's mind. <em>We'll meet again.</em></p><p>Arley bit down on the pill Nightwing had given her behind the wall and her eyes widened at the bitter taste that flooded her mouth. She could feel the part of the sword Kaldur hadn't bent around her bite into her chest.</p><p>"It's good to see you," Kaldur hissed. They had needed everything to look believable and so Arley felt a sharp part of the watery blade slice into her as her uniform began to fade. Blood dribbled down her chest; the wound wasn't deep— it was superficial  —but to everyone who would look at Arley it would seem so.</p><p>"Arley!" Dick shrieked; if he hadn't been a hero Arley was sure he could have been an actor.</p><p>The corners of Arley's vision went dark and as Arley stumbled back, away from Kaldur and into Dick Grayson's arms, she willed her ring— Aniell shot off her finger and into the atmosphere —to find Wally because if there was anyone besides her fellow Corpsmen Arley would trust with Aniell it was the love of her life.</p><p>"Hang on," Dick said, he sounded far away.</p><p>Ever since Arley had been sixteen and she had found out that the Lantern rings were sentient, Arley had always imagined Aniells voice would be the last thing she heard before she died; she pictured she'd die alone on the battlefield with only her ring to see her off.</p><p>She had never pictured she'd have her head in Dick's lap as the glow of the Ferris Spaceship illuminated the sky behind him. Darkness began to overtake Arley and as she began to fade Arley thought of Wally West's smile. She had of course always knew Wally West would be her last thought; she'd see him soon enough.</p><p>"I have you." Even if it was all fake; Arley had never imagined that those would be the last words she would hear.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Kaldur, with a callousness his men had never seen before, didn't spare Nightwing or the fallen girl a second glance. The former hero pocketed his waterbareers as he turned his head to the side, Nightwing kept pressure on the dead Lanterns wound; the masked hero kept muttering something none of Manta's men— or Manta's son —could hear.</p><p>"Move out, our mission is a failure." But just as he spoke several booming sounds echoed through the air and the Ferris Spacecraft— the one with three astronauts aboard —exploded. Nightwing hadn't even turned to look at the explosion; Kaldur'ahms expression turned grim at the fiery sight.</p><p>"We're done here," the ex-hero said. He and his injured men turned to the water and with a glance over his shoulder and a heavy breath Kaldur'ahm led his and his father's henchmen into the depths of the Pacific ocean.</p><p>Conner Kent jumped from the bio-ship; the clone didn't stop as he stumbled from his landing.</p><p>Dick began to give the dark haired girl CPR as M'gann shot out of the water; Conner skidded on the sand so that he was next to the masked hero, his shaking hands hovered over Arley's face and tears welled up in his eyes.</p><p>"Arley," M'gann gasped, Conner let out a choking sound, one Dick knew well. It was the sound people made when Dick and the others turned up on their doorstep to tell them their friend or family member wouldn't ever be coming home again. It was the kind of sound brothers made when their sibling was gone; it had been the same sound he'd let out when Jason had died.</p><p>"I don't hear her heartbeat," Conner said rawly and M'gann dropped behind both men.</p><p>Dick's hands hovered over Arley's bloody chest, his palms were lathered in Arley's blood. Dick Grayson knew that Arley would wake up and that she would be okay but in that moment— seeing her pale and lifeless and the dark grey t-shirt she had worn under her uniform soaked with her blood —he forgot and tears gathered in the corners of his own eyes.</p><p>Because his first real friend was dead.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Wally West had already been in Bludhaven when Arley's ring had found him. The ring hadn't slipped on his finger like it had with Arley when the Lantern that had come before her had died, but instead settled in his palm.</p><p>Wally had also been in Bludhaven when Kaldur and Dick had brought Arley's still unconscious body into the warehouse they'd all agreed to meet in. Arley had always been small— she herself was just five-three; her mother had only been five feet and her father had apparently been only a little taller than that —but in a bloody shirt and Dick Graysons arms Arley looked downright tiny.</p><p>"Why is she bleeding!" Wally demanded as he stepped up and took Arley from Dicks arms Arley's ring was around the speedster's neck. The ring had run out of power and died shortly after it had landed in his palm, "You said she wouldn't get hurt!"</p><p>"She's fine but we needed it to look believable," Dick explained. Wally took two steps back and kneeled to the ground, his back was against one of the crates. Wally propped Arley up in his arms, his free hand cupped the dark haired woman's cheek.</p><p>When Bart had come from the future and called her Mrs. West— when he had casually mentioned their children —he had only reaffirmed what Wally already knew; he was going to marry Arley Gluck and though Arley was alive— Wally knew that if he pressed his ear against her chest he would hear what Conner hadn't been able to, hours before —she was in his arms pale and dead to the world and just the thought of Arley being dead made the speedster's own heart sputter in pain.</p><p>Arley's lips twisted into a frown and slowly her eyes fluttered open. Air rushed into the twenty-one year old's lung and though it hurt to breathe she smiled up at Wally.</p><p>Kaldur, who had opened his mouth to say something, turned away from Dick and looked down at Arley and Wally. His lips tipped up at the sight of his two friends; it's been months since the four of them had been in the same room without a battle raging around them.</p><p>"I told you Genius," Arley said softly, "Nothing could ever keep me away from you."</p><p>With a choked chuckle Wally pressed his lips to Arley's; the kiss was both tender and breathtaking at the same time. It was the kind of kiss that made the young Glucks heart skip a beat and her toes curl in her shoes. When they pulled away from one another Arley turned to Dick; her palm was still pressed against Wally's cheek.</p><p>"How'd it go?" Arley asked softly.</p><p>"Successful," Dick said, "Almost too successful, the team and the League are in mourning. They'll probably never forgive me for orchestrating this."</p><p>Arley's eyes flickered to the concrete ground beneath their feet. Kaldur's arms crossed over his chest. When they had agreed to take on the mission they all knew they risked the team never forgiving them and yet the thought of Conner and Artemis never smiling at Arley, or joining her in their usual booth at Warriors pained her more then any injury the young woman had ever gotten.</p><p>"And still only we four know the secret?"</p><p>"Yeah," Dick nodded. "How'd it go on your end?"</p><p>"Successful as well," Kaldur said. "I've proved my loyalty to my biological father. He is moving me up the ladder, moving me closer to the Light, and their unknown partner."</p><p>"Not without cost Kaldur," Dick said. "La'gaan definitely wasn't supposed to be captured and the com-sat wasn't supposed to be destroyed—"</p><p>"—What?" Arley's gaze snapped up. She got to her feet; Wally followed behind her and his hands rested on her hips, "What do you mean the com-sat was destroyed?" Dick's brows turned downward.</p><p>"There was an explosion," Dick said and Arley pressed her hand to her mouth; Juniper Harlow's face flashed in the forefront of her mind. Juniper's wife and children quickly followed. Arley turned to Wally and the speedster pulled her against him; Arley buried her face into the speedsters chest.</p><p>"Capturing La'gaan was the only way to save his life and maintain my cover," Kaldur said. Dick, with a sigh stepped forward.</p><p>Arley's fingers curled into fists as she tried to will Juniper Harlow's smile from her mind. The thought of Hal and Carol having to go to four funerals struck Arley over the head and Arley bit her lip as she tried to ignore the thought.</p><p>"I'm not blaming you," Dick said. Wally's hands ran up her back. "I know you've been forced to make impossible decisions; like being forced between saving the Kroloteans on Malina island—"</p><p>"—Or saving my friends. And I will find a way to save La'gaan," Kaldur swore, "You have my word."</p><p>She had a mission to do; Arley needed to get her head in the game. The Lantern slowly moved away from Wally— though not out of his arms completely; Wally's hands fell from Arley's waist and his fingers threaded through Arley's —and turned to face Kaldur and Dick.</p><p>"So what now?" Arley asked, Wally's hand tightened in hers. Dick turned with an amulet in his hands, wordlessly he wrapped the necklace around Arley's neck.</p><p>"Uh, dude?" Wally blinked, "Why are you giving bling to the dead love of my life?"  </p><p>"Glamor charm courtesy of Zatanna," Dick explained dryly. "Physio-morphic spell I think. She said it backwards."</p><p>Wally moved so that he stood next to Dick, in front of Arley. The speedster nodded.</p><p>"Wow babe, you look exactly the same."</p><p>Arley couldn't help but laugh as Dick nudged the speedster with his elbow.</p><p>"To the four of us," Dick said, "And only us but to anyone else—" Dick looked at Arley, "—You're an entirely different person."</p><p>Arley nodded; she had read the file Dick had given her on her new alias. Her name was Rosalie Dembitzer, an assassin for hire who used the name <em>Morningstar</em> when working; perhaps in space, on different planets the term Morningstar was used hopefully, because she was there to save the day but Arley knew when Earthlings heard the word— heard the word Morningstar —they wouldn't think of a hero, but rather the Devil.</p><p>It was who she had thought of when she had first been called that at eighteen; back then Arley hadn't realized that she was being idolized— immortalized —she'd been eighteen and just walked away from one of the bloodiest battles she'd ever had to fight in, back then she thought she was being called evil.</p><p>"You know I think the most impressive trick is how you got something like this from 'Tanna without revealing who or what it was for," Arley smirked; her voice had a French accent to it, it was higher pitched as well.</p><p>"Official League business, besides, I got Constantine sent on a three month mission last week so it's not like she didn't owe me," Dick said with a sly smile.</p><p>Wally snorted. Kaldurs watch beeped, the Atlantean picked up the duffle bag Arley had packed earlier that day and held it out to her. Arley looked at her former leader,</p><p>"It's time."</p><p>Arley looked away from Kaldur and to Wally and before her arms had even lifted from her sides the redhead had wrapped her in a tight hug; Arley's feet were lifted off of the ground. Arley pressed a kiss against the speedsters lips. One hand cupped the back of Wally's neck while both of Wally's hands pressed against Arley's back, pressing her closer to him.</p><p><em>Love</em>; Arley and Wally were both trying to pour the reminder of how much they loved the other into the kiss. When they pulled away, both gulping for air, Wally's emerald green eyes were wet. Arley fingered the chain around Wally's neck and she pulled on it so that her ring had popped up over the collar of his shirt.</p><p>"Take care of Aniell for me, okay Handsome?" Arley requested rhetorically. "I'm going to need her back after this."</p><p>"Of course," Wally said, he smiled slightly, "Though I do have to say, whenever I've pictured you giving me a ring, I never actually imagined having to give it back-I always thought you'd just get a ring of your own, you know."</p><p>Arley's mouth dropped open at the confession and Wally pressed his forehead to Arley's. Arley's eyes fluttered closed at the contact.</p><p>"Come back to me, okay babe?" Wally told her, "I can't lose you."</p><p>"Never Wally, never," Arley swore. "I love you Wally West-and nothing, not even the Guardians themselves could keep me from you, do you understand?"</p><p>Wally dipped his head forward and pressed another kiss to Arley's lips. When they pulled away Wally's lips hovered over Arley's and the young woman smiled at him.</p><p>"Maybe—" Arley licked her lips, "—Maybe when this is all over you can tell me about all those times you pictured giving me other rings?"</p><p>Arley felt Wally smile and Dick stepped up and put a hand on Wally's shoulder; "She needs to change Wally. We need to go."</p><p>And for a second Wally's grip on Arley tightened almost painfully; almost as if he wasn't going to let her go, but Wally nodded and pressed a peck to Arley's lips.</p><p>"I love you Glowstick," Wally said.</p><p>"Love you more Handsome," Arley said with a ball in her throat. Slowly Wally followed after Dick, though the speedster paused as he passed Kaldur. Wally put his hand on Kaldur's shoulder,</p><p>"You'll watch her back?" Kaldur put his hand on top of Wally's, a small smile took over the Atlantean's lips.</p><p>"Of course," Kaldur swore without any hesitation.</p><p>Wally, with a nod, peaked over his shoulder and flashed a sad, heartbreaking smile in Arley's direction. Wally's hand fell from Kaldur's shoulder and the speedster trudged after Dick; Kaldur turned away from Arley as she crouched to open the duffle bag the Atlantean had placed between them. A yellow and black uniform and a mask that would cover over half her face was what greeted the Lantern when she opened up the bag.</p><p>Arley didn't bother to hesitate before she stripped her bloody shirt; slowly, the wake of Arley Gluck's death, Rosalie Dembitzer came to life.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Seven — Darkest</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"You cried wolf and I came running; am I the wolf or the savior?"</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Wally's laughter rang out in the field they were in. Conner and Artemis and Dick's laughter's echoed behind them as they tossed about the freebie M'gann had brought with her. Arley's head was in M'gann's lap as Garfield hung upside down from the thick tree branch above them and Jaime and Kaldur spoke quietly to one another as Bart and Tim both goofed around with the soccer ball Tim had brought.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zatanna and La'gaan debated magic at the picnic tables and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Mal and Karen kissed at the oddly placed grill and Rocket and Jade rolled their eyes at something Roy had said; Cassie and Barbra watched little Lian Nyguyen-Harper slip down the playground slide that was precariously placed in the open and endless field.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Though something in Arley's chest told the Lantern that later would never come she hummed when M'gann said something about how the adults— Arley and the others were all adults but the founding League members; the heroes who had raised them —would arrive later.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was a dream— Arley knew it was a dream because it felt too good to be true, because there was a nagging in the back of her consciousness that told her it was fake; it had to be, she felt completely happy —and yet nonetheless Arley allowed herself to be enveloped by it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She allowed herself to skin in under the feeling of M'gann's nails scratching against her scalp.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey Megs?" Arley asked, her eyes open and she caught the underside of the Martian's green chin.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah Arley?" M'gann looked down at Arley.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We can stay like this right?" Arley asked; Arley sat up and M'gann fingers fell from her hair as she looked to where Wally was grinning with the others. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Artemis was the first to turn and the archer— Arley's sister in all but blood —beamed at her. Artemis' smile was large and bright and when Wally saw Artemis smiling he turned in Arley and M'gann's directions and, overdramatically, blew her kiss.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Of course we can," M'gann promised, slowly Arley lowered her head back into the Martians lap and once more the green skinned alien threaded her fingers through Arley's thick black hair. Later; Hal and Guy and John and Katma would be joining them later and though Arley's gut twisted and everything in the young woman's gut told her she wouldn't be seeing them later, Arley allowed her eyes to slowly close and be swallowed whole but the sounds of Wally West's laughter.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>They were anchored somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. Kaldur and Arley— Rosalie Dembitzer —crowded around the cell they were keeping La'gaan in. The fish-like Atlantean's knuckles were wrapped around the bars of his cell and his red eyes were narrowed at the three of them as he pressed his face in the spaces between the iron bars.</p><p>"How can you stand to look in the mirror?" La'gann spat at Kaldur. Arley stood silently behind Kaldur as she acted as his right hand, "Atlantis, King Arthur, the team. You betrayed us all. Neptune's beard! I can't believe I once idolized you!"</p><p>The door swung open and Arley's hand instinctively went to the chain scythe that was wrapped around her waist. The sword that was on her back shifted as she and Kaldur and the two Manta henchmen turned to see Black Manta— Kaldur's biological father —enter the room.</p><p>"Why is this prisoner still aboard?" Manta asked.  Arley's hand stayed on the shaft of her weapon ready to defend Kaldur at a moment's notice. Arley had been undercover and aboard the submarine for just under a week and though Manta had not once even seemingly threatened Kaldur or raised his voice at the blonde Atlantean; it put the young woman on edge. She was waiting for Manta to snap and lash out at Kaldur; to hurt him. "He should be delivered at once to our partner. Prepare a pod."</p><p>"I will handle it personally father," Kaldur said.</p><p>"Negative," Black Manta shook his head, "I have other duties for you my son."</p><p>"Son," La'gaan scoffed, "You're not his son, you're his errand boy!"</p><p>Kaldur turned and pulled out an orange syringe from his belt, La'gaan snarled at the former team leader. Kaldur looked blandly back at La'gaan as he stepped forward.</p><p>"I am aware of my place in the larger picture La'gaan. Are you?" And then, Kaldur pushed the tip of the needle into La'gaans chest, just under his collarbones; La'gaan's knees began to wobble as Kaldur injected him with the anesthetic.</p><p>"I'm so going to get you for this chum." La'gaan said heavily as his knees began to give. La'gaan stepped back from the bars and Arley had to plant her feet more firmly to the ground as she reminded herself that she couldn't move and catch La'gaan as he began to fall like a timbering tree.</p><p>When La'gaan was on the floor of his cell Arley stepped in front of Kaldur, her hand on her weapon; Manta's men moved from behind her and Kaldur— and around Black Manta themselves —and swung open La'gaan's cell door.</p><p>Each henchmen picked La'gaan up and dragged the Atlantean upright; La'gaan's head rolled forward and a third henchmen, with the same type of pod Queen Bee had been using to harbor the kidnapped runaways, entered the room. The two henchmen who had La'gaan placed the gilled Atlantean into the pod before the rolled him out; never once did Arley's eyes stray from La'gaan.</p><p>The henchmen and Manta could think all the want about how she was taking her job as Kaldur's right hand just a bit too seriously but she knew Kaldur would know her true intentions because it was the same reason his own eyes never left La'gaans unconscious figure; it was because they were worried for their friend and couldn't show it.</p><p>When La'gaan had been rolled out of the room and the backs of the henchmen could no longer be seen both Kaldur and Arley turned to Black Manta; Manta put his hand on Kaldurs shoulder and Arley twitched from behind her friend. Artemis had told her what her father had been like growing up and Arley herself could still remember the worst of her foster parents and maybe she had spent more years out of foster care then in it but that didn't change the fact Arley didn't trust Manta not to snap one day.</p><p>"Kaldur'ahm, you should know my faith in you is absolute, but others require further proof of your loyalty." Kaldur's brows pinched,</p><p>"You have my word father," Kaldur said, "That I will do whatever it takes to enter the Light."</p><p>Arley stood silently behind him.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>It was Arley and Kaldur with the Terror Twins and Icicle Junior; the five of them had been sent out by Manta to capture Blue Beetle, someone the Light's new partner wanted specifically. Manta hadn't expanded on why the Light's new and mysterious partner wanted Jaime, nor had he explained who the Light's new partner was, just that by securing New Mexican teen both Kaldur and Rosalie Dembitzer would both be brought into the fold.</p><p>Arley liked Jamie— probably as much as she liked Billy —and the thought of some shadow organization that worked hand-in-hand with the Light wanting him made the undercover hero sick.</p><p>The dart gun she had tucked away in her left boot moved against her leg.</p><p>But she had to do it, her and Kaldur both did, though that didn't change the fact that Arley felt her stomach knot together as she and Kaldur and the three career villains that had been chosen to accompany them flew through the skies.</p><p>"Brother Tommy," Tuppence said, her voice airy and the southern twang was drawn out with every word, "I think we're plum crazy to throw in with this feller. I mean it wasn't two years ago Mr. Aqualad here was trying to lock up back up in Belle Reve."</p><p>"Well sister Tuppence folks say he had a change in heart over finding out who his pappy is," Tommy replied. Arley's hands curled around the edges of the control panel she was stationed at; she looked over her shoulder and glared at the blondes as Junior walked over to Tuppence and crouched down next to her.</p><p>"I heard it was over some girl," the ice villain said, "Which I totally get, you know, if it's the right girl." Junior dropped a hand onto Tuppence's arm and Tuppence sighed in annoyance as she picked Juniors hand up off of her.</p><p>"Step back Junior, you're giving me the chills." Junior smirked as he moved to stand behind Tuppence's chair,</p><p>"But in a good way, right babe?" Tommy snorted, he turned and Arley caught the larger Terror Twins eye. Arley's gaze sharpened and her lips pressed more firmly together; Tommy Terrors eyes sparkled maliciously.</p><p>"Me?" Tommy said, "I'm more concerned about this Morningstar. How come the Terror Twins ain't never heard of her before."</p><p>"Question," Arley sneered, the accent the glamor charm gave her rang out with every word, "Are you incompetent at whispering as you are at succeeding in life—" Tommy Terror spun around in his chair with a snarl and Kaldur sat forward. Tuppence and Junior turned to look at the undercover hero. "—Or was this just your take on subtlety?"</p><p>"These are open questions Missy—" Tommy said, Arley cut him off;</p><p>"—So subtlety," she snipped. "You're as good as that as I supposed you would be at spelling the word subtlety." Tommy's jaw clenched and Tuppence shifted her weight, as if she was going to pounce on Arley. "Nonetheless, are any of actually you going to ask these open questions of yours to Black Manta?" Tommy and Tuppence straightened in their seats; Arley continued, "Which one of you wants to suggest to the big bad-our boss, that his son and his son's hand picked right hand cannot be trusted?"</p><p>Though her mask hid it, Arley arched a brow; Tommy and Tuppence stared at Arley with hardened expressions before simultaneously looking away. Junior turned with Tuppence and crouched back down; his hand once more on her arm.</p><p>Arley turned back to her control panel.</p><p>"Don't look so defeated babe, I'm here for you."</p><p>Tuppence pulled away and glared at the living icicle.</p><p>"Will you cut that out," Tuppence Terror hissed.</p><p>"I can't help myself babe, been kind of obsessed since the first time I laid eyes on you,"  Junior smirked.</p><p>"This is the first time you laid eyes on me," Tuppence hissed and Junior shrugged.</p><p>"Only technically," Junior said, "See five years ago in Belle Reve this Martian girl was posing as you—" Tuppence grabbed the young mans hand that had been perched on her arm; her nails dug into his icy skin and Arley could have sworn she heard the ice splinter.</p><p>"—Then go give the skivvies to her," Tuppence snapped as she pushed Junior away. Junior stumbled back, and looked at Kaldur who he had stopped in front of, a sly smirk on his face and his abused hand coddled close to his chest.</p><p>"I'm wearing her down." Kaldur looked at the villain blandly.</p><p>"Perhaps we could focus on the mission now," Kaldur snapped, "We are closing on our target." Arley's heart leapt into her throat. Like always, she would do what she had to even if it made her sick.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Jaime was in the air; Arley could hear Bart Allen's voice echoing through the desert and the undercover heroes throat tightened. Arley had known Bart Allen for less then a month but he was— would one day be —family and she was going to have to fight him— hurt him —to keep her cover.</p><p>"Impulse, by Impulse, is that crash or what?" The future speedster asked happily. Tuppence jumped through the air and grabbed Jamie by his middle; the pair of them crashed to the ground. "Oh man, I spent one-point-six seconds on that self portrait. It was my masterpiece!"</p><p>Arley, who had been running up to the speedster jumped, her leg outstretched. Bart easily avoided her as she rolled across the ground; the boy ran at Tommy Terror only to bounce off the teens chest. Arley grabbed the crossbow that had been strapped to her thigh and shot the trick arrow that had been preloaded into the weapon at Bart.</p><p>A net exploded and wrapped around the auburn haired boy. Tommy rushed to his sister's side as she restrained Jaime and Arley leaned back on the balls of her feet, her finger hovering over the trigger of her crossbow.</p><p>"Hold him steady," Junior ordered; his arm glowed, "Now move!"</p><p>Tommy and Tuppence did and before Jaime could get away ice quickly encased the young hero.</p><p>"Blue!" Arley spun to see Bart vibrating out of the net that had been wrapped around him and she threw the bolas she had at the hip parallel to her chain scythe only to miss. The speedster was gone. The sound of ice cracking splintered through the air and before any of them had turned Jaime had broken himself out of the ice prison Junior had trapped him in.</p><p>The teen hero aimed his sonic cannon at Tommy and the Junior; knocking them both out. Jamie then fired at Arley; Arley jumped over the sonic beam Jaime had shot at her only to be thrown back when he fired a large stable her way. The staple caught Arley's hand and the young undercover hero hit the ground with a thud.</p><p>She heard another body hit the ground and saw Tuppence laying a foot or so away from Jaime's feet. Arley sat up and pulled at the staple keeping her down; a blur sped by her and Arley saw Bart standing beside Jaime, the younger boy's auburn hair was windswept and sticking out in several different directions.</p><p>"Or," Jamie said as Arley continued to tug at the staple, "Since they outnumber us four to two we could recommend tactical strategic retreat." Jaime's wings disappeared and the sound of his suit forming his jetpack could be heard.</p><p>Arley— with her hand free —got to her feet; she tossed the almost comically large stapled to the side. Bart nodded,</p><p>"Totally, but first," the speedster turned to Jamie, "How did they find us out here in the middle of—ah-ha." Bart cut himself off, his gaze fixed over Jaime's head and on Kaldur. Before she could blink, Bart was gone. Arley's head snapped up to the large rock overlooking the fight and saw Bart standing several feet from Kaldur.</p><p>She couldn't hear what the speedster said— Arley knew Barry and Iris West's future grandson well enough that he had to have said something —but she did see the glow of the sword Kaldur had formed with his water bearers swing forward.</p><p>Tommy and Junior and Tuppence stepped towards Jaime and Arley took two steps in Kaldur's direction only for Bart— with Kaldurs tracker in hand —to appear once more at Jaime's side.</p><p>"They can't follow us now!" Bart said as he pivoted, "Let's book!"</p><p>Jaime spun and with a jump the teen took to the air; dust traveled behind Bart as he ran below the blue hero.</p><p>Tommy turned to Kaldur with a scowl; Arley continued to approach her former team leader.</p><p>"Well that's brilliant chief," Tommy snapped, "You let him get away and with the tracking device! Now how do we find Beetle!" Arley blinked at the word device; she kept the comment about being surprised Tommy knew such a word to herself.</p><p>And for a second she still expected to hear a laugh echoing through her mind; but quickly— as ice and loneliness flooded her veins —enough she was reminded that Aniell was no longer on her finger but rather around Wally's neck.</p><p>"As it happens," Kaldur hissed at the hulking blonde villain, "We have another."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>"If you had another one of them gizmos why didn't you just say so?" Tommy questioned once they were back on the Manta flyer. Arley could feel the cold that rolled off Junior from her seat a foot away and through her heavily protected costume.</p><p>"It is not the same," Kaldur told the male twin, "This one confirms that the first device acted as a Trojan horse. Impulse and Beetle brought it into the cave and remotely hacked and bypassed all security." The villains in the room smiled as genuinely as any villain could. "Mount Justice is ours."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>It was almost painfully hypocritical; Arley had given Lucas Carr— Snapper, a hero who, sometime after the League had first been founded, had lead to the Mount Justice caves location being discovered by the Joker —hell over the years for what he had done and yet she had still snuck and helped lead three villains into the cave on the orders of Black Manta himself.</p><p>Arley had come through the ventilation shaft in the kitchen; the one that hung over the stove, only to see both Bodie and Wolf asleep on the couch. Wolf's head was over Bodie's and the vulpimancers tail hung limply over the arm of the couch.</p><p>Wolf picked his head up; Bodie followed suit, his orange tail perked up as Arley ducked behind the back of the couch. Arley didn't dare breathe Bodie let out a whine; Wolf let out a gruff-growled puff of air and the genetically modified wolf and the alien dog-like creature put their heads back down, Wolf's chin rested on Bodie's.</p><p>Arley waited a moment and quietly she stood back up; with the two inhibitor collars Kaldur had given her in hand Arley— with a rueful gleam in her eyes and a regretful twist of her lips —snapped the collars on her and Conners pets before moving on, down the hall and towards the hanger. When she found no one in the Hanger Arley took the elevator up to the gymnasium only to find that empty as well.</p><p>"Morningstar, Tuppence," Kaldur's voice said over the com-link; Arley paused mid-step. "Blue Beetle is with the newest speedster and Nightwing in the Meeting Chamber. Junior and Tommy are already there."</p><p>"Gotch'a," Tuppence said. "I got the green one-the monkey boy."</p><p>Arley's hands clenched; Garfield was a sweet boy and though Arley wasn't as close to the green skinned changeling as she was with Billy or Jaime bile still rose her throat as she thought of how Tuppence Terror could have apprehended the young green skinned teenager.</p><p>"On my way," Arley breathed before she took off towards the Meeting Chamber.</p><p>Arley turned the corner of the hallway that led to the Mount Justice Meeting Chamber and saw Conner— with a collar around his neck —laying idly on the floor next to Nightwing; there was ice on the floor and Junior was knocked out, crumbled to the ground at Bart Allen's feet. Arley beat down a proud smile at the sight.</p><p>Jaime was in the air and Tuppence, at the other end of the hallway had Garfield thrown over her shoulder.</p><p>"That worked so nice I'll try it twice," Bart sang with a smile; one that reminded Arley of Wally and Iris and the rest of the West family.</p><p>Arley took out the third inhibitor collar Kaldur had given as Bart bounced off of Tuppence and into Tommy's grasp. Tuppence threw Garfield to the ground and Arley took two steps forward; as if she were going to catch him.</p><p>Bart held his hands out in front of them, shaking them as Tommy held him in the air with one hand. "My hands! What are you made of?"</p><p>"Snips and snails and puppy dog tails." Tommy smirked as he slapped the inhibitor collar around the speedster and Bart smirked.</p><p>"Nice try! I'll just vibrate right out of this—" Bart began trying to vibrate his body; his smirk fell, "Oh-no, no speed. I'm moded aren't I?"</p><p>Tommy didn't answer the time traveler and instead hit him so hard the young teen went flying across the hall. Bart landed near Garfield. Blue aimed his sonic canon at Tommy and the Terror twin flinched in pain as his hands clasped over his ears.</p><p>Dick rolled Conner off of him and Arley moved; the supposedly dead Lantern sailed through the air and landed a kick to the former boy wonders jaw. Arley landed in a crouch and spun her leg out; just as Black Canary had shown the team years ago in their first training session. Dick hit the corridors floor and Arley got on top of him; she clasped the third collar around her friends neck and Dick, with a ghost of a smile, looked up at her.</p><p>"Sorry," Dick said, as if Arley didn't know, "No super powers for your collar to turn off." With a smirk Dick's legs flew up and his ankles crossed— one behind her head and one over her neck —over her throat only for Dick to swiftly bring them down.</p><p>Arley's skull vibrated as she hit the cave floor but she sat up anyway; she was Kaldur's right hand, she couldn't be taken down that easily, though Arley supposed, fighting was easier when she had a ring that healed her almost instantaneously.</p><p>With the controls for the collar out Arley pressed a button and Dick— as the collar electrocuted him —fell to his knees.</p><p>"Stand down!" Kaldur shouted as he entered the corridor; Arley got to her feet and looked up at Jaime who's sonic cannon glowed dangerously in her direction. "This battle is over."</p><p>"I don't think so traitor!" Jaime shouted rawly; there was an angry wobble in his thick voice as he turned his weapons onto Kaldur.</p><p>"Then rethink Beetle," Kaldur said. He dropped to his knees and slowly opened up the duffle bag he had been carrying since they had tracked Jaime and Bart back to the cave; inside of the bag was a bomb. Arley turned away from the bomb and looked at Dick and Conner, she looked at Bart and Garfield and she thought of Wolf and Bodie, both of whom were still in the caves living room, sound asleep. "This is the same type of bomb that obliterated Malina Island. I am holding down the Dead Man's Switch—" Kaldur raised his hand to show Beetle and the other villains that he indeed was holding down the switch, "—And if my thumb comes off this button for any reason Mount Justice Falls."</p><p>Jaime hesitated for a moment before, slowly, he descended.</p><p>"I'm standing down," Jaime said. The sonic cannons retracted and the Beetle themed hero was left defenselessly with his hands raised over his head. Tommy moved and snapped a collar around Jaimes neck.</p><p>"Wise choice," Kaldur said. Junior slowly got up, a scowl marred his icy face as he walked up behind Kaldur.</p><p>"I'm fine, by the way," Junior said, "You know if anyone wanted to know."</p><p>Arley didn't; she didn't say that though.</p><p>"Good," Kaldur said. "Escort Beetle, Impulse and Beast Boy to the flyer."</p><p>"Why the changeling and speedster? I thought our mission was to collect the Beetle?" Arley asked before she could stop herself; the room turned to her. Tommy Terror's brow arched and Arley's heart sped up under her uniform. <em>Lie</em>; her mind screamed,<em> Lie!</em> "I read the changelings file, he was an ordinary human before that Martian gave him blood, what use is he to the Light's partner-and the speedster, we know nothing about him, why might the Light's partner want them?"</p><p>"Because they both have something the Lights partner wants," Kaldur replied tersely. Arley nodded, she looked down at Conner, who was still sprawled out across the corridor flooring and Nightwing who struggled to his knees.</p><p>"Then what about these two?" Junior arched a brow; his arms crossed over his chest from behind Kaldur.</p><p>"As hostages here they have value but unlike Beast Boy, Nightwing is an ordinary human and Superboy is a Kryptonian-human hybrid clone; neither of those categories is of any interest to the Light's partner."</p><p>Arley nodded. She moved so that she could pick up Bart; she cradled the unconscious teen in her arms, his head lolled to the side.</p><p>"Aqualad!" Dick shouted; Arley turned to see Dick on his feet. "You'll regret this!"</p><p>Tommy pushed Jaime towards the caves exit and Tuppence— with Garfield once more over her shoulder —followed. Junior paused to watch with Arley; the pair of them watched as Kaldur calmly walked up to the Bludhaven hero. Kaldur reeled the arm that wasn't holding the Dead Man's Switch back and hit Dick hard enough in the gut that the former boy wonder doubled over; Arley's shoulders pushed themselves back as Dick let out a wheezing breath.</p><p>Kaldur spun on his heel; "I believe I have outgrown the name Aqualad. And anything resembling regret." Kaldur paused. "I will leave the bomb with you, as a souvenir-oh, and the Dead Man's Switch has a five mile range. Do not pursue us."</p><p>And with that Kaldur brushed by Arley and Junior; the pair of them followed after, guarding his back; Tommy and Tuppence and Beetle waited outside the cave, Jaime's wrists had been bound together in front of him and Arley had— reluctantly —passed Bart to Tommy Terror.</p><p>Junior pushed the boy forward and Arley glared at the ice villain from the corner of her eye; "Move it Bug."</p><p>Jamie grunted as he took three steps forwards, towards the Manta flyer.</p><p>"Not much choice is there?" Jaime asked.</p><p>"No," Junior said, "None at all."</p><p>Jaime took two more steps forward before his inhibitor collar sparked and the red lights went dead.</p><p>"What? No you can't!" Jamie shouted— most likely at his scarab —as his hands formed into blunted mace-like weapons and he spun. Jamie swung and knocked Junior several feet away and then, before she could move to dodge the hit, he hit Arley as well before he turned and spun to fire a blast of energy at Kaldur.</p><p>The former team leader was knocked back and the Dead Mans Switch flew out of his hand.</p><p>"No!" Jaime seemed to freeze; with a baited breath Arley saw the teen waiting for the Mount Justice cave to fall only to see nothing happening. "You're right!" Jaime said to his scarab; "It was a bluff! Get him!"</p><p>Jaime lunged; before he could make contact with Kaldur the Atlantean raised his arm and blasted the teen with several thousands volts of mystic energy; Jamie— with his armor open —stumbled back. Arley untucked the dart gun she had in her boot and blew a dart laced with enough horse tranquilizers to put Superman himself to sleep at him.</p><p>Jaime hit the ground and Kaldur stood up.</p><p>"I was not certain that would work," Kaldur said. "But it seems Beetle is indeed vulnerable to mystic energy and sedatives." Kaldur turned to Junior, "Bring him aboard."</p><p>Junior scooped the bug themed hero up and dragged him aboard the Manta Flyer.</p><p>Each of the three young heroes were tied up and deposited in front of the cockpit; Arley and Kaldur had brought three of the pods Queen Bee had been using only for the Atlantean to forgo them; Kaldur had told the Terror Twins that leaving the three back there in the pods— even with one of them acting as guards —allowed the heroes a chance to escape and that it was better for them all to be where they could be seen.</p><p>Slowly, one by one, the teens woke up.</p><p>Arley stood next to Kaldur; Tommy leaned his head back, "I can't believe we didn't end Superboy when he had the chance."</p><p>"Boss here still has a soft spot for his old team."</p><p>Arley knew what she and Kaldur had to do; ever since Manta had given them the bomb they'd known what they had to do and yet the undercover heroes still shared a look. Arley's hand rested on Kaldurs forearm.</p><p>Arley had blown up thousands of ships as a Lantern; she had killed more aliens then she would ever be able to count. She still woke up with the heat of blazing ships prickling her skin, but that was the price she paid for the job she did.</p><p>"Do it," Kaldur said. Arley's fingers curled around Kaldurs arm.</p><p>Every cell in her body told her to leave the denotator in her pocket; everything inside of her told her not to— she thought of all the memories she had of the cave, she thought of how Bodie and Wolf were asleep on the couch and how Dick and Conner were in the hallway last time she had seen them —but Lanterns always completed their missions, so Arley took the denotator out of pants pocket and with her gloved nails biting into Kaldurs armor she— hesitating for a moment —pressed down on the button.</p><p>Mount Justice exploded a second later.</p><p>Mount Justice burned just as bright as any ship Arley had ever destroyed before; she could almost feel the heat of the blast through the Manta flyers windshields. She could hear her teammates' laughter echo through the deafening sound of the blast and she could see each and everyone of her past memories play out in the bright light of the explosion.</p><p>"No!" Bart and Garfield exclaimed; Bart struggled against his bonds.</p><p>Arley's hands shook; she couldn't afford to think about Dick and Conner and Wolf and Bodie not getting out in time, she couldn't think about them laying under the rubble of Mount Justice or burned alive in the blast. She couldn't think about them dead at her hands when she had a mission to do; but she would, later that night.</p><p>Arley knew she would.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>When Arley, Kaldur and the others got back to the main Manta ship no longer was it anchored in the Gulf of Mexico, but rather the Atlantic ocean.</p><p>Black Manta and a squadron of men met the team of five young villains at the door, half a dozen of the armored henchmen rushed into the Manta Flyer with their weapons needlessly at the ready; Jaime, Bart and Garfield had each been placed in the pods they had brought along when the Manta flyer first began to connect itself to the main ship.</p><p>Arley stood behind Kaldur as the three young heroes were wheeled out by the squadron of Manta's henchmen.</p><p>"Come with me, the both of you," Manta said to Kaldur and Arley. The aquatic supervillain led the pair down the submarine's corridors and to his office where a large floor to ceiling computer screen was at the ready. There were several familiar faces on the screen and if Arley didn't glare at Vandal Savage's image it was only because he didn't catch her doing so.</p><p>"Allow me to introduce you to my son Kaldur'ahm and his right hand Morningstar," Manta said proudly. "He has succeeded in every mission and then some. He and his right hand not only captured Beetle as instructed but also captured two bonus meta's as well."</p><p>Arley's blood turned icy; not only was there that word again— meta —but they hadn't needed to capture Bart and Garfield, the boys had been extra? The dead Lantern's shoulders straightened and her tongue caught between her teeth.</p><p>"And as for the destruction of Mount Justice well…" Manta trailed off as he looked at the pair.</p><p>Ra Al Gul tilted his head up;</p><p>"Indeed we appreciate initiative, vision, and—" Ra Al Gul looked solely at Kaldur, "—Strong family ties. Welcome to the light Kaldur'ahm, Morningstar. It is time for you to meet our partners."</p><p>Kaldur's lips curled up appreciatively and slowly the screen split once more and an alien— a green and teal alien who wore a black and white shirt that's large collar stopped half way up it's face —appeared on the screen.</p><p>The alien smiled politely; "You are Black Manta's son?" Kaldur nodded.</p><p>"Yes, this is my right hand Morningstar." Arley stepped forward and bowed her head.</p><p>The alien on screen smiled dangerously down at the pair and every hair on the undercover hero's body stood up. Arley had been a hero since she was eight years old and she had been throwing herself into danger long before that and yet never before had her body told her to run more than it had in that moment; the aliens' eyes sparked the same way an atomic bomb would.</p><p>"I am the Ambassador of the Reach." Arley's heart dropped into her stomach.</p><p><em>No,</em> she thought mournfully,<em> No.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Eight — Before the True Fix</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"If I knew your pain I would bare it."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Arley had fought in wars, she'd been in the thick of battle and her life had been on the line more times then she could ever count; but never before had she been in more danger then when she had stepped foot onto the Reach's ship.</p><p>Thousands and thousands of years ago, long before the first Green Lantern ring had ever come to Earth there had been a war between the Green Lantern Corps and an alien species called the Reach. The Reach were an insectoid species of alien conquerors, they were killers on their best days and warlords on their worst and that had been why the Guardians had sent their forces— their Corpsman —to battle them.</p><p>The Corps had won, after years and years of what had seemed like an endless war— and after entire generations of Lanterns had been slain —and with their victory the Guardians had forced the Reach to sign a peace treaty that not only exiled them to Tribunal space but forbade them from ever stepping foot in Guardian territory unless invited by whatever planets government was hosting them.</p><p>The treaty also forbade any Lantern from staying on the planet the Reach had been invited too; if the Reach discovered Arley— if they found out she was a Lantern working undercover and if they found out she knew they were on Earth without any governments explicit permission; violating the treaty they had signed —they wouldn't just kill her like the Light would, they would make an example out of her.</p><p>Put her head on a pike and use it as a warning for all other Lanterns who thought of violating the treaty.</p><p>"Your ship is most impressive Ambassador. As are your people," Kaldur said as the Ambassador led them further into his ship.</p><p>Arley walked behind Kaldur and the Ambassador; her hand stayed on the hilt of her chain scythe and her eyes flitted to the various members of the Reach that walked in and out of the corridor. The bright lights that shone over head made the shadows stretch out across the hall and the undercover Lantern more nervous with every passing movement.</p><p>There was a thin line between paranoia and vigilance and Arley knew she was toeing it, but aboard the Reach ship, with no way of contacting Dick so that he could let Hal or Guy or even Kyle— the Lantern that had temporarily taken her place —know that the Reach had violated the treaty there was nothing Arley could do but keep her cover and dangerously toe the line between paranoia and vigilance.</p><p>"Thank you," The Ambassador said cordially, "These are our labs, we are most dedicated to researching the human meta-gene." Arley's fingers curled around the handle of her weapon as they turned right; their footsteps echoed throughout the hall.</p><p>"Meta-gene?" Kaldur asked. He fell a step behind the Ambassador and Arley stepped closer to her former leader; Kaldur smelled of seaweed and sand even though he hadn't been to a beach or in the water since they had destroyed Mount Justice and kidnapped Jaime, Bart and Garfield.</p><p>Arley's eyes swept along the tall purple walls; the three young heroes— and La'gaan —had to be in the ship somewhere.</p><p>"A genetic marker," The Ambassador explained, "It indicates the potential of an individual human to survive catastrophic physical trauma by adapting new abilities." The three of them came to a stop outside of a metal door; slowly, and with loud clanking sounds, the door opened.</p><p>"In other words Ambassador, the meta-gene allows certain humans to develop superhuman powers?" The Ambassador didn't answer, instead he turned and waved his arm towards the room, ushering both Kaldur and Arley in.</p><p>Arley stepped between both Kaldur and the Ambassador, leaving the alien to be the last one to enter the room. With more clanking sounds, the door shut behind them.</p><p>There were pods— the same pods that not only Queen Bee had been using to keep the kids she had kidnapped but La'gaan and the boys had been put into —that lined the outer parts of the room. There were a dozen different children in the pods; all of them were unconscious. In the middle of the room, at the large control panel, there was another Reach in the room. Their back was turned but the top of their head was bald and their figure was much more slender than that of the Ambassadors.</p><p>"Kaldur'ahm, Morningstar, this is the scientist in charge of all meta-gene research," The Ambassador introduced. The Scientist turned and with a sly look the alien smirked at both Arley and Kaldur; it reminded Arley of the look she would see lions wearing before pouncing on their meal. It was predatorial.</p><p>Arley had never been more aware of the fact her ring was no longer on her finger then in that moment. The young woman's knuckles turned white under her gloves as she held the hilt of her chain scythe tightly in her grasp, waiting to defend herself and Kaldur from an attack.</p><p>"I understand you are responsible for providing several of our test subjects. Gratitude." Behind the Scientist there was a picture of chromosomes on the computer screen.</p><p>Kaldur bowed his head in acknowledgement; Arley simply pressed her lips more firmly together. There were several dusty bookshelves in the Hall of Great Service back on, each of the shelves full of books on a planet or people who had been destroyed by the Reach.</p><p>"I assume it would interest you both in knowing that in this lab we are attempting to isolate this meta-gene by stimulating potentially dormant powers in average humans." Kaldur stepped away and Arley followed in his wake as he traveled the line of kidnapped children; Shimmer was in one of the pods. Arley and Kaldur stopped at La'gaans pod.</p><p>"But La'gaan already has powers. He is Atlantean, hardly an average human," Kaldur said; his face was unreadable to those who hadn't known him for years but to Arley it was an open book, the undercover Lantern could see the regret in the Atlanteans eyes and she could see the apology on the tip of his tongue and she could see him fighting back every instinct he had to save La'gaan and the other children in the curl of his fist.</p><p>The Scientist stepped up to them so that she too could look at La'gaan. Arley shuffled closer to Kaldur.</p><p>"But his powers are based on training in sorcery," the Scientist said. "Beyond that he is an average Atlantean is he not?" The Scientist stepped away and nodded her head for Kaldur and Arley to follow; they did. The Scientist led the two undercover heroes and the Ambassador to an adjoining room.</p><p>Arley felt her body freeze the minute the doors rolled open and Bart Allen and Garfield Logan's screams reached her ears. Kaldur's hand discreetly shot out before Arley could take a step forward and his fingers wrapped around her wrist.</p><p>They had a mission to do; any misstep could be their folly and for a moment Arley found it hard to care, Bart and Garfield were in pain and Jaime was yet to be seen. But she had too— Arley had to care —because if she was discovered Kaldur would be too. Arley pushed her shoulders back and squared them and Kaldur let her wrist go before he stepped fully into the room.</p><p>"Here we study humans with active meta-genes and how they respond to various levels of stress. The goal is to learn if their abilities are able to be extracted or duplicated."</p><p>"I see," Kaldur said with a stony voice, "You seek to weaponize the meta-gene." The Scientist smirked and turned to the Ambassador,</p><p>"You never mentioned he was clever." And with that the Scientist stepped forward, she brushed past Arley and the Ambassador followed; Arley and Kaldur hesitated for a moment to catch up and instead looked at the two screaming teens.</p><p>The Scientist and Ambassador lead the pair across the hall, to another lab. The Scientist paused in the doorway. "A pleasure meeting you Kaldur'ahm, Morningstar." And with that the door closed shut, leaving just Arley, Kaldur and the green and teal member of the Reach to stand in the deserted corridor.</p><p>"Blue Beetle is unaccounted for," Arley said, her eyes narrowed. She felt Kaldur click his heels together; his body tensioned next to her. "Is he inside there?"</p><p>Arley liked Jaime— Jaime didn't have a mentor, Ted had died the day Jaime got the scarab and so Arley, who knew what it was like to have some random piece of technology stick itself to your skin at an incredibly young age, had done what she could to help the teen find his footing in the world of heroes and villains; she had taken him under her wing when she could —and perhaps she had to kidnap him for a mission but she wasn't just going to leave him in the hands of the Reach.</p><p>Not when she knew what they were capable of.</p><p>The Ambassador's eyes narrowed back at Arley.</p><p>"That particular laboratory doesn't concern you or your masters, and frankly neither does Blue Beetle, he may be human but he is of the Reach." A silent roar vibrated through Arley's chest, her blood rushed and the young woman went to open her mouth only for Kaldur to hold his hand up in front of her; his fingers curled into a fist.</p><p>"Hold your tongue Morningstar," Kaldur said. Arley sucked a sharp breath of air in through her nose; the Ambassador pivoted on his heel and started down the corridor, Arley sent her friend a sharp look to which he replied with an equally sharp one.</p><p><em>Later;</em> Kaldur had all but said, <em>Not now, but later.</em></p><p>Arley pressed her lips together and looked at the floor, the same way a scolded child would and began to follow Kaldur as he started to walk after the Ambassador. The Ambassador turned his head,</p><p>"And the new shipment?"</p><p>"Arriving soon, my father's best men are personally overseeing everything."</p><p>"Perfect."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley saw— as both she and Kaldur met with the Scientist in the docking bay —both Barbra Gordan and Tim Drake in two pods Black Manta's men had rolled in and off of a Manta Flyer. She quickly averted her eyes away from the two.</p><p>The team was there; Kaldur had told her he had passed a flash drive of information to Dick before they had destroyed Mount Justice but he hadn't told her of any planned attacks. The dark haired woman took a look at her friend and when she caught sight of his sea foam green eyes frozen on Tim's podded figure Arley quickly figured out he hadn't known about Dicks plan either.</p><p>Arley rolled her shoulders; making things up as they fell apart was something Hal Jordan had helped her perfect early on in her tenure as a Lantern.</p><p>Arley and Kaldur followed a member of the Reach out of the docking bay and towards the second docking bay where they had entered the ship. The pair of them, and the member of Reach they had started to follow had only managed to get down the first corridor before loud alarms started to blare.</p><p>The alien who the Ambassador had passed them off to looked alarmed as they looked up at the ship's ceiling.</p><p>"What's that alarm for?" Kaldur questioned knowingly.</p><p>"Break out; something has happened to one of the pods and now a subject is loose," the alien said, their clipboard hugged close to their chest. Kaldur pressed his lips together and he looked to Arley.</p><p>"Follow me," Kaldur ordered, Arley nodded curtly back. As if she was going to do anything but stick to his side. The member of the Reach looked at the two undercover heroes with wide eyes,</p><p>"Follow-where do you think you're going?" Arley looked back at the alien with half a snarl on her face,</p><p>"You have an escaped prisoner do you not?" Arley snipped, "We're going to catch them, so how about you run along and get back to your chemistry set."</p><p>The aliens' chest puffed up but before they could snap anything back both Arley and Kaldur had turned and started off down the hallway. The pair of them stopped running several corridors down; they passed the broken laboratories and paused when they saw the shattered door that had once led to the room Bart and Garfield had been in.</p><p>"Who do you think?" Arley asked, "Superboy or—"</p><p>"—Would you allow someone else to save someone you considered family?" Kaldur asked quietly in a knowing tone, "It's M'gann."</p><p>Arley nodded and looked at Kaldur.</p><p>"I guess we should go stop them then, huh bossman?" Kaldur smirked. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, one Arely hadn't seen since before Tula— Aquagirl —had died. Arley couldn't help but grin at the sight.</p><p>"I suppose we should." And with that they started off towards the docking bay where they both knew the team and the kidnapped teens would be, only to be met face to face with both M'gann and Garfield. Arley and Kaldur's eyes widened; they hadn't actually expected to run into anyone, they planned on being too late.</p><p>M'gann's eyes narrowed.</p><p>"You!" M'gann shouted thickly; the Martian's hands swept out in front of her and her eyes glowed green. Arley, when she tried to rush forward, flew back into the wall behind her; Arley's head hit the wall and for a moment, when she landed she saw black— Kaldur's knees buckled under him; the Atlantean let out an agonizing scream —and then a moment later when she was sure her eyes were open she saw M'gann dropping to her knees and Kaldur slumped forward.</p><p>"Kaldur!" Arley rushed to her feet and over to Kaldur; the Atlantean's eyes were glossed over as he looked at nothing; Arley, as she felt her mind splinter, looked at M'gann.</p><p><em>"M'gann,"</em> Arley bemoaned in her mind, <em>"What have you done?"</em></p><p><em>"I thought—"</em> M'gann let out a sobbing sound,<em> "—I thought he deserved it. I thought he killed you." </em></p><p>Garfield looked away from the alien he called a sister and leapt towards Arley and a drooling Kaldur, the changeling shifted into a tiger in midair and Arley— who's focus had snapped away from her friend —looked at the young teen.</p><p>Beast Boy let out a ground shaking roar and Arley snatched several smoke bombs from her belt and threw them at the floor; as thick black smoke filled the corridor Arley slipped Kaldur over her shoulders, the same way firefighters did.</p><p>"I'll take mine and you take yours, count yourself lucky kid," Arley snapped at the green tiger before she took off towards where she knew her and Kaldurs ship was.</p><p><em>Safety</em>; as odd and as wrong as it sounded, Arley had to get Kaldur to safety and at that moment that meant getting him to his father, Black Manta.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>"What happened!" Black Manta rushed out as he took Kaldur from Arley; Arley had dragged Kaldur back aboard the main ship in Black Manta's miniature fleet, his eyes were glazed over and two dozen of Manta's men had been left on the Reach's ship but— in Arley's mind, at that very second —none of that mattered because he was safe from further harm.</p><p>Manta cradled Kaldur in his arms, the three of them were in the Manta ships docking bay; Manta's helmet was off and there was a soft and tender— fatherly —look on his face as he looked down at his son. Arley's ears still rang and her heart beat just as fast as any Central City could run.</p><p>"We were attacked; the team-the one Kaldur'ahm was on before," Arley gritted out, her head still spinning, "They attacked the Reach's ship. The Martian girl she found Kaldur'ahm, did whatever this is to him."</p><p>"And where were you?" Black Manta spit, "What happened to protecting him!"</p><p>"I tried!" Arley shouted, there was a shrill note to her tone and the henchmen in the docking bay stilled. Black Manta reeled back, Arley doubted anyone actually shouted at him anymore. "I was right there and-I couldn't stop her, one second I'm next to him and the next I'm halfway across the corridor and he's like this! I didn't even get a chance—" Arley cut herself off as her throat tightened.</p><p>Tears welled up in her eyes; M'gann had done this— she had destroyed Kaldurs mind —for her.</p><p>This had been her fault.</p><p>"I tried," Arley said, softer, and Manta breathed. Arley lowered herself to the ground— on the other side of Kaldur —and she placed her hand on his arm; forgetting all about how Rosalie Dembitzer and Kaldur'ahm were supposed to be two people who had saved the other's life and simply fought together against the side of good, and not life long friends like she and Kaldur actually were.</p><p>"Kaldur," she sniffled, "I'm so—" Arley stopped herself. She grabbed Kaldur's hand and squeezed it. "Oh Kal."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>It had been over a week since M'gann had brain blasted Kaldur and Arley hardly left the comatose Atlanteans room. Trapped like a rat and surrounded by enemies hadn't been so bad when she knew she had Kaldur on her side; at least then Arley knew she had a chance to see Wally again, but with him bedridden and nothing more than a drooling vegetable Arley felt more open— more vulnerable —then she had on the Reach's ship.</p><p>Moby Dick sat half open on Arley's lap. Wally had given it to Kaldur when they had turned seventeen, right before he and Artemis had left the team; it'd been a gag joke but the team's leader had ended up actually liking the old story and so, on the off chance that he could hear her, Arley had taken to reading to him. Her eyes skimmed over the funny fish related jokes Wally had written in the margins of the pages; a faint smile over took her lips.</p><p>Nortz, she missed Wally; she missed his bright smile and his loud laugh and how in the mornings he'd press his cold feet against her legs just to mess with her. She missed the smell of his body wash and the touch of his hands trailing up her body as he kissed her.</p><p>She missed the sound of his voice when he said her name; when he called her Glowstick.</p><p>Arley looked down at her hand; Aniell, Nortz Arley missed Aniell. After five years with her own Jiminy Cricket in the back of her mind Arley felt almost empty without the echo of Aniell's laughter or Aniell's snarky comments.</p><p>Arley missed being herself; she missed going out to lunch with Artemis and Conner and having Sunday dinner with Hal and the other Lanterns— she missed Hal and Kilowog and Carol, back when she'd been nothing more but an abused street kid the three of them had looked at her and found something worthy of loving —and she missed helping Jaime and Billy with their homework and giving them advice on girls and how to balance being a hero with being a teen— because as much as she loved being a sister she adored being a big sister —and she missed space.</p><p>She missed the stars and the sights she'd see while patrolling her sector. Maybe she didn't miss the battles and the bloodshed or the war, but she missed the Corps; they'd been the first family she ever had and they thought she was dead.</p><p>Everyone thought she was dead.</p><p>Arley fingered the glamor charm around her neck, the hero always had to pay the price, they always had to bear the burden but when had the price become this; when had it become her very being?</p><p>Kaldur's door slowly opened and Arley snapped the book shut and stood, her hand fell away from the glamor charm and she grabbed the sword she had propped up against her chair and pointed it at the opening door. With Kaldur unable to defend himself Arley knew that any of Manta's men— that any henchmen that worked for any other member of the Light —would choose now to dispose of him whether it be for some kind of powerplay or simply because they hadn't forgave Kaldur's heroic past.</p><p>"My son-Morningstar," Black Manta paused, Arley blinked at the villain and then at Vandal Savage who stood a step behind the aquatic villain; the grip on her weapon tightened for a moment before she forced herself to put down her weapon.</p><p>"Sir," She bowed her head. Manta didn't smile— Arley wasn't sure the man knew how —but there was an appreciative light in his eyes as he nodded back. Manta turned to Kaldur,</p><p>"My son, I have brought visitors." Kaldur of course didn't respond. He didn't blink or look in his biological father's direction, he simply stared up at the ceiling as his father approached him. Manta set a hand on his son's shoulder; Arley looked solely at Savage.</p><p>She didn't have a ring or any way to kill him but it would be so easy to draw her sword and bring it up over the Neanderthals head; it wouldn't do anything but the scar on Arley's ribs almost seemed to burn in his presence.</p><p>Arley folded her arms behind her back, the same way she was shown in the Corps. Arley Gluck might have attacked Savage but she wasn't Arley— not at that moment —she was Rosalie Dembitzer, Morningstar, and she had to remember that.</p><p>If only for Kaldur's sake.</p><p>"Robbed," Manta lamented, "Of life and even of a noble death. I will have my revenge on the Martian witch that did this to him."</p><p>"As a father myself," Savage said; Arley's brows raised— she of course had not only already knew Savage had been a father in the past, but also known that the children he had helped bare throughout the years never received his immortality —just like they would for someone who hadn't already known about Savage's children. "I understand your pain and the opportunity for vengeance will come but in the meantime let's focus on making Kaldur'ahm whole again."</p><p>A cloaked figure walked into the room; the figure pulled down the hood of their cloak and revealed themselves to be Psimon. Arley's heart leapt into her throat.</p><p><em>Kriff,</em> the girl thought.</p><p>"I borrowed Psimon from Queen Bee for you and your boy. He'll sift through Kaldur'ahm mind for every fractured memory, every buried thought. By the time Psimon's work is complete your son will be whole and Psimon will know Kaldur'ahm better than anyone else."</p><p>
  <em>Kriff.</em>
</p><p>"He can do that?" Arley blinked doubtfully; she had called the man an evil raisin the first time they had met, she knew what he was capable of but Rosalie— her alais —didn't and now, more than ever— with Vandal Savage and Psimon just a handful a feet away from her and Kaldur —she had to watch her step.</p><p>"Indeed I can," Psimon said with a dark chuckle, "I'll dig in and root about piecing his entire mental life together."</p><p>"Perfect then," Arley lied. Manta looked at Psimon,</p><p>"When can you begin?" Psimon brushed past Arley and took a seat on the stool, his hands went to his temples and his index fingers pressed against the webbed skin.</p><p>"I need to focus," Psimon told Manta, "Set my own mental house in order first before I enter his ruins." Manta nodded and looked to Arley,</p><p>"Stay with them until the process is complete. I must show Vandal Savage out," Manta ordered, Arley nodded, and both members of the Light moved only for Black Manta to pause before he shut the door. He looked at Arley who had begun to lean against the wall adjacent to Kaldurs bed, "Morningstar?"</p><p>"Yes sir?" Arley straightened.</p><p>"My son never spoke of his feelings but not even his words could hide how much he cared for you Morningstar."</p><p><em>Oh,</em> Arley thought,<em> You've got to be kidding me.</em></p><p>"Thank you sir, but I do not speak about my feelings either-at least, not with words." Arley's love language was acts of service and touch, or at least that's what Zatanna had said when she had made Arley, Raquel, M'gann and Artemis all take one of those magazine quizzes.</p><p>"Your actions define you," Manta tilted his chin up, "I can respect that." And Arley thought that would be the last of that but instead of leaving and shutting the door behind him Manta continued to speak; "So you will be glad to know that I will take action against the Martian Witch who did this to our beloved Kaldur'ahm."</p><p>And with that Black Manta shut the door quietly behind him;<em> Great,</em> Arley thought,<em> Now I have to worry about Megs too.</em></p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>An hour or so later, just as Arley had switched the weight on her legs and snuck the dark gun she kept out of her boot and into the waist of her uniform, Psimon sighed. The physic had a dark smile on his face and an almost dangerous gleam sparkling in his eyes.</p><p>He wanted to find something; Arley pushed herself off the wall and stood firmly with both her feet planted on the ground.</p><p>"Alright I'm ready," Psimon announced to her. "Let's see what the weather's like in there." Psimon leaned forward and Arley brought the tiny dart gun up to her mouth— as if she were going to yawn —and fired a needle that was laced with an alien paralytic at the physic. Katma had long ago shown her how to make the paralytic; it stimulated coma like symptoms that lasted for weeks at a time between doses.</p><p>Psimon rubbed at his neck.</p><p>"The Martian really did a number on you, didn't she Kaldur? Believe me I know the feeling, but fear not, we'll have you up and running in—" Psimon's head dropped and his hands clenched Kaldurs sheets. "—Something's wrong."</p><p>Psimon stood up and the stool he had been sitting on toppled to the ground; Arley moved forward ready to feign helping him.</p><p>"My mind-clouding over…" Arley stumbled back as a physic force knocked her back; she thought of impenetrable green walls and glowing razor wire and barking guard dogs that had been constructed from the light of will.</p><p>Psimon turned, with his hand outstretched and pointed at Arley accusingly. Arley flew through the air; she crashed into the door and then into the wall several more times.</p><p>"You!" Psimon hissed as he held Arley in the middle of the room, "You poisoned me! Why! Tell me!" Green safes and glowing locks danced around Arley's mind and the villain's eyes narrowed.</p><p>"I've seen those mental blocks before," Psimon slurred.</p><p>Psimon's knees gave out but his hand was still outstretched and Arley was still hovering in the air. Slowly the man started to slump forward and Arley began to drop; Arley and Psimon both hit the floor just as Kaldurs door opened and Manta rushed in.</p><p>"What happened!" Manta demanded to know, for the second time in just over a week. Arley panted as she looked at Psimons glazed over eyes. She had to lie; as Arley looked up at Manta the lie had already slipped halfway out of her mouth. No one thought you were lying if you didn't hesitate.</p><p>"I don't know, he just—" Arley sucked in a deep breath, "—He went into Kaldurs mind and next thing I know sir, he's gone berserk." Slowly Arley got to her feet, "Is it possible that the Martian left some sort of residue behind? Some sort of telepathic trap for anyone who may want to fix Kaldur'ahm?"</p><p>"If she did then any sort of telepath we might employ would only suffer the same fate," Manta replied. Arley began to catch her breath and she approached the dark skinned villain.</p><p>"Then I suppose sir, we have only one choice left." Manta looked at Arley, "The Martian herself; if she has truly left some sort of telepathic virus in Kaldur'ahm's mind then she is the only telepath that can help us." Arley's clenched fist hit her open palm, "Send me to the mainland sir, I'll bring back the Martian and we'll force her to fix what she has done to Kaldur."</p><p>"Yes of course, but she is dangerous. Kaldur would never forgive if I sent you to face her alone."</p><p>"I'll take a squad of troopers—"</p><p>"—No," Manta said. "You'll take the Light's newest enforcer, Deathstroke." Arley didn't bother to ask what had happened to Sportsmaster; she had been there when the team had taken him down the year before.</p><p>"Yes sir." <em>Kriff.</em></p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley knew M'gann would be in Chicago; Deathstroke hadn't asked how she had known where to go when she took the pilots seat of the Manta Flyer, he had just sat back and observed. His one golden eye followed her every movement in an unsettling way that made the undercover hero want to sink into the shadows of the junkyard that surrounded the League's Chicago zeta-tube.</p><p>The zeta-tube flashed once and then twice; Arley and Deathstroke observed both M'gann and La'gann exiting the disguised teleporter, Arley blew a harsh breath out of her nose. She hadn't expected anyone to be with M'gann.</p><p>The couple stopped several feet away from the zeta tube, La'gaan spun on M'gann.</p><p>"I can't wait any longer, I have too many questions," the Atlantean growled out, "Why have you been avoiding me? Why haven't you been returning my calls? What is going on between you and Conner?"</p><p>Arley looked to Deathstroke who shook his head; the young woman looked back at her friend and La'gaan.</p><p>"Nothing," M'gann said, she placed a hand against the Atlanteans cheek, "I mean, not what you're thinking."</p><p>"Then what? Angelfish please," La'gaan pleaded. Deathstroke moved and Arley, with her crossbow drawn, followed his lead.</p><p>"Well," the Lights news enforcer said from his perched position atop a stack of junked cars, "This is awkward. We hate to interrupt such poignant interspecies romance but we have pressing business with the Martian."</p><p>La'gaan bared his teeth and Deathstroke drew his sword; the light that reflected off the blade blinded the two heroes and the assassins' took that as his chance to attack. Deathstroke landed on La'gaan, M'gann shot upwards; Arley fired an arrow at the Martian, which she easily deflected. Arley felt her mind splinter and for the first time in months the undercover hero felt herself breath easier.</p><p>
  <em>"Arley, that's you, right?"</em>
</p><p><em>"Yeah Megs,"</em> Arley said as she reloaded her crossbow, <em>"It is and I need to kidnap you."</em> </p><p>M'gann's eyes grew huge. Arley fired a series of arrows at the flying hero, all of which were either deflected or missed.</p><p><em>"</em><em>Look,"</em> Arley said through the mind link as she continued to fire arrows at M'gann,<em> "I need your help to save Kaldur but neither Deathstroke or La'gaan can know I'm on your side so this needs to look real, okay? Make this abduction look good, please."</em></p><p>M'gann's eyes glowed and the arrows Arley fired her way shattered. Two crashed cars lifted into the air and shot towards Arley; Arley dodged the first one by flipping back and then narrowly managed to avoid the second by falling onto her back.</p><p>
  <em>"Okay Megs you don't need to make it look that good."</em>
</p><p>Below then Deathstroke ran at La'gaan, Deathstroke kicked the Atlantean into the trunk of a car and raised his sword to bring down onto the gilled man, only for La'gaan to duck and sidestep the long haired assassins attack. La'gaan kicked off the passenger side doors to one of the wrecked cars and flung it at Deathstroke; Deathstroke kicked the door back at La'gaan— who hadn't been expecting it —and sent the Atlantean into an old piece of sheet metal.</p><p>Arley dodged another car— she leapt off the cars silver trunk —and dodged the inflatable pool toy that had been laying around the junkyard. Arley landed a kick to the Martian's stomach and both young women went down; M'gann let out a groan as she hit the ground.</p><p>La'gaan was blown back and M'gann who had only just pushed herself upright, gasped.</p><p>"La'gaan!"</p><p>Arley tackled M'gann; Deathstroke threw out several small explosives that went off around the two friends and M'gann swayed under Arley as fire erupted around them. Arley— with an apologetic look —slipped an inhibitor collar around M'gann's neck only for the collar to electrocute her.</p><p>Arley's head snapped to Deathstroke who held the collars controls in his hand. "The fish called for backup, we have to move," Deathstroke told Arley. Arley nodded— she couldn't trust the sound of her own voice —and scooped M'gann up into her arms.</p><p>The Manta Flyer— with open doors —appeared overhead and slowly lowered until both Deathstroke and Arley— with M'gann in her arms —were able to get on, leaving behind La'gaan and a ring of fire.</p><p><em>Hang on Kaldur,</em> Arley thought heavily as she placed M'gann down in the back of the Manta flyer, <em>Help is coming.</em></p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Back on the main ship in Manta's fleet— back in Kaldur's room —Arley and Black Manta waited for M'gann to wake up. The pair stood silently as they watched the rise and fall of Kaldurs chest; Arley looked at M'gann and the crease between her brows.</p><p>Arley looked at Black Manta, she could remember when Kaldur found out about his father, how he had struggled to grapple with that in the wake of Tula's death.</p><p>"Sir," Arley asked, "May-I may be out of line in asking this—"</p><p>"—Ask," Black Manta said, "You have served my son well; protected him, stayed by his side every day since this tragedy has occurred and even secured the means to his recovery. If you are out of line I will tell you so."</p><p>"Why did you leave Kaldur'ahm?" Arley asked, "As a child I mean? He said he grew up in Atlantis with his mother, and father you hand picked to watch over him-so, if you don't mind me asking, why did you leave him?"</p><p>Manta leaned back against the wall, he looked at Kaldur for a moment and then he turned to look back at Arley. For a second Arley didn't think the villain would answer.</p><p>"I didn't love his mother, and I never intended to have a child-to have Kaldur'ahm, I know the life I live, but when Sha'lain'a told me she was expecting I was so overcome with joy. My own father had always told me no love I would ever experience would ever come close to rivaling the love I have for any children of my own and he was right."</p><p>"So why leave?"</p><p>"I was a wanted man even back then, what life could I have given Kaldur if I was always looking over my shoulder-Kaldur was safer, better, without me."</p><p>"Didn't it hurt to leave him?"</p><p>"Of course it did," Black Manta said, his voice sharp. "But," he said much softer, "When you're a parent-a good parent, you'll suffer through anything in the name of your child." Arley, with a tender smile on her face, cocked her head to the side. "What?"</p><p>"Nothing sir, I just-it's admirable how much you care for Kaldur. I'm sure he's touched to know how much you care."</p><p>"Thank you Morningstar, my son said you saved him from being captured from Nightwing." Arley nodded at her cover story. Dick had made her go over the Rosalie Dembitzer file so many times Arley was sure she could recite it in her sleep.</p><p>"I was in Singapore for a job and I saw Nightwing chasing after Kaldur'ahm; I've never dealt with the Bat or his birds before I knew what side they are on and what side anyone running from them would be and so I figured I'd lend a helping hand. Though truthfully back then I didn't realize it would lead to this," Arley lied.</p><p>"Oh?" Manta wanted clarification.</p><p>"Standing in a submarine with one of Justice League's most wanted and a kidnapped member of their little team of sidekicks." Manta didn't laugh; he didn't smile but he let out a sound that was akin to laughter, before Arley could appreciate the fact she had made one of the League's most wanted criminals laugh, M'gann groaned.</p><p>Slowly she began to wake up; Manta and Arley both moved closer to the green skinned hero.</p><p>"Welcome aboard Martian," Manta drawled, "Let me make your situation perfectly clear, you are here to physically repair the damage you have done to my sons mind." Manta— roughly grabbed the inhibitor collar around M'gann's neck —yanking her forward crouched down so that they were eye level with one another.</p><p>"This inhibitor collar negates all your Martian abilities. In a moment we will selectively reinstate you telepathic power only, but before we do that—" Manta turned to the camera in the corner of the room, "—Understand Deathstroke is watching you at all times from beyond the range of your psychic power. If he perceives even a hint of trouble he will press a button that will activate a substantial explosion charge in your collar. So don't lose your head."</p><p>Manta released the collar and M'gann's head jerked back. Manta stood up and looked at the camera in the corner of the room as he opened the door ro Kaldurs room, "Deathstroke activate her telepathy-now save my son."</p><p>And with that Manta shut the door behind him. Arley grabbed M'gann's shoulders as she felt her mind splinter and twirled the Martian girl so that she was looking at Kaldur. "You heard the man, get to it."</p><p><em>"Arley what should I do?"</em> M'gann asked lost.</p><p><em>"Fix Kaldur,"</em> Arley replied,<em> "The three of us will figure out a game plan after he's no longer a drooling sea cucumber."</em></p><p><em>"It's not the rest I'm worried about,"</em> M'gann said.<em> "Honestly I don't know if I can fix Kaldur. Breaking a mind, that's easy, but restoring one? That may not even be possible. And what if I make things worse? My mere presence in his mind could be seen as an attack."</em></p><p><em>"Then take me with you,"</em> Arley said,<em> "You and I, Megs? Since when have the two of us not been able to do something?"</em></p><p><em>"But-but what if I lose you too?"</em> M'gann asked, "<em>I thought you were dead. What if I—"</em></p><p><em>"—Megs,"</em> Arley breathed,<em> "We don't have another choice."</em> M'gann snorted morbidly.</p><p><em>"No,"</em> she said, <em>"I guess we don't."</em> Arley set her hand on M'gann's shoulder; the Martian's eyes glowed green and the room around Arley slipped away.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley smiled when she looked down at herself; she wasn't in the uniform she had been wearing when she had been standing in Kaldur's quarters, she was in her Corps uniform with the Lantern symbol proudly displayed on her chest. Slowly though, as she looked around her, the smile slipped off of her face.</p><p>Though it was clear that they were underwater, the wreckage that was Kaldur's mind reminded Arley of space. The slowly drifting columns and misplaced buildings looked like something the supposedly dead Lantern would find in place of a destroyed planet.</p><p>"Nortz," Arley breathed, she was glowing green, just as she always did in space or when she visited Atlantis; M'gann brought her arms close to her chest.</p><p>"This is how he perceives his psyche, Atlantis, in ruins. I don't even know where to start." Arley opened her mouth to say something— anything that could help one of her closest friends —only for the both of them to be blasted back and onto a broken off piece of Atlantis.</p><p>Arley came to a stop before M'gann and looked up to see a snarling Tula glaring down at them; Arley and the Atlantean girl had never been close— she'd been on the mission Tula died on, every had been, Wally and Artemis had been kidnapped by the Light —but that didn't mean the Lanterns heart didn't clench in her chest at the sight of her fallen comrade.</p><p>"Tula!" Arley shouted, only for the figment of Kaldur's imagination to attack them again. The large ice shards passed though Arley and hit M'gann, pushing the Martian back and into the half crumpled wall. M'gann threw her hands up in front of her face in order to block the attacks.</p><p>Arley shot over to the red headed Martian and began to pull her out of the way only for ice shards to pass through her and hit the alien. Arley looked back at Tula and saw that the girl— the long dead girl —had stopped attacking in favor of conjuring two flaming balls of fire.</p><p>Grabbing M'gann around the waist Arley flew through the water that was Kaldur's mind and away from Tula; but just like Arley and M'gann were in Kaldur's mind, so was Tula. The Atlantean girl— no matter how hard Arley pushed herself —continued to gain on the two living heroes.</p><p>Arley paused before two broken pillars and moved M'gann around in her arms.</p><p>"Megs-Meg-M'gann!" Arley snapped, shaking the Martian, "M'gann, snap out of it! None of this is real, you know that!"</p><p>"All my fault," M'gann muttered, "It's all my fault."</p><p>Arley moved the Martian girl out of the way from one of Tula's blasts only to catch sight of the Atlantean; Arley took one look at M'gann before she let the Martian go— allowing her to drift along with the current of Kaldur's mind —and took off towards Tula.</p><p>"Tula stop!" Arley snapped, "Megs and I are here to help Kaldur!"</p><p>With a yell Tula attacked; the blast of light Tula shot at Arley phased through the Lantern and hit M'gann, sending the alien into another broken piece of Atlantis.</p><p>"Right," Arley breath, "You're not real either." But Kaldur was; Kaldur could stop Tula. Arley took off, away from M'gann and Tula, in search of Kaldur. Arley swam through a coral filled tunnel and past several destroyed homes, one of which Arley recognized as Kaldurs. Arley only stopped swimming along when she saw Kaldur.</p><p>He was sitting in a pavilion, he was in his old Aqualad uniform and his back was to her.</p><p>"Kaldur!" Arley swam faster, towards him; her feet had only just landed on the stone when she touched his shoulder and spun him around. Arley— though she'd never admit it —let out a scream when she was greeted with Kaldur's blank, smooth over face.</p><p>Kaldur's voice echoed around them, several things were said, all of them overlapping the other and almost all of it in Atlantean; "What is left of Kaldur'ahm?"</p><p>"Aniell was right, I so should not have relied so much on the ring for translations," Arley muttered to herself. "Okay okay Ars, just think-how in esehigi do you actually speak Atlantean again?" Arley moved so that she was in front of Kaldur.</p><p>"Kaldur it's me-er, ha's nin Arley!" Arley said in a rough Atlantean.</p><p>"Besome Arley, besame." Help; Kaldur was asking for help. Arley dropped to her knees and gripped at her friends hands.</p><p>"Kaldur, M'gann and I are here; besome, Kaldur, besome!"</p><p>A swirling white vortex appeared behind Kaldur, more Atlantean phrases echoed around Arley and Kaldur, none of which Arley could understand.</p><p>"I am alone," Kaldur whispered; the ceiling above them began to crack, "There is no one here." The floor beneath their feet began to crumble. "Nothing, ruins."</p><p>Kaldur began to float away, as if he were weightless.</p><p>Arley's hands tightened around Kaldur's.</p><p>"No! No! You're not alone-Megs and I are to help you—" more and more of the pavilion began getting sucked into the vortex and Arley's nails had started to dig into Kaldur's skin as he started to slip away, "—Symbiosi besome Kaldur'ahm! Symbiosi!"</p><p>"Besome? Symbiosi?" Kaldur's echoed voice replied. "Im am u-eriol?" Arley knew those words, she knew she did but with the vortex growing louder and Kaldur just barely in her grasp, Arley couldn't think.</p><p>"Yes!" She shouted nonetheless, "Symbiosi!"</p><p>Slowly the vortex shrunk, the swirling winds subsided and almost as if he was pressing his face into a cast, Kaldur's face slowly began to reform; Kaldur drifted back down and slumped against Arley as his lips curved out and his nose stretched and his eyes slowly opened, only to shut once more as his weight fell against her.</p><p>Arley wrapped her friend in a tight hug; "Thank Nortz," Arley breathed.</p><p>She heard Tula's battle cry and Arley tucked Kaldur under her arms, she wrapped his around her waist and pushed off against the small piece of stone her feet were left standing on.</p><p>"Do it," M'gann said as she laid on the ground defeatedly, "Finish me, I deserve it."</p><p>Tula raised her arms over her head, ready to dole out the finishing blow.</p><p>"No!" Arley snapped as she and Kaldur swam through the figment of Kaldurs imagination. Arley landed on the ground next to M'gann— Kaldur stood upright on his own but there was no look of recognition in his wide unblinking eyes —and grabbed the Martian by the arm. Arley yanked M'gann up and put Kaldurs hand in hers. "You want to blame yourself, Megs do that, but only if you're willing to do something about it!"</p><p>M'gann looked sadly at Kaldur, there were tears in her eyes.</p><p>"Kaldur," M'gann said weepily, "I am so sorry. Let me help you."</p><p>"Help?" Kaldur repeated, "No, ruins, all ruins."</p><p>"It doesn't have to be ruined," M'gann said, "We can fix it."</p><p>Arley put her hand on top of M'gann's.</p><p>"Symbiosi, together."</p><p>M'gann, with a wet and wobbly smile, looked at Arley and then at the broken Greek statue that's top half laid on the food several feet away. Guiding his hand, M'gann moved Kaldur's arm; the top half of the statue floated up and rejoined it's bottom half, almost as if it had never been broken. M'gann lead Kaldur over to the collum and just like she had done with the statue she moved Kaldur's hand so that the column stood upright; Arley felt a hand on her shoulder and with a gasp she felt her mind snap back to her as she was forced to turn.</p><p>"Morningstar," Black Manta said, "What's wrong?"</p><p>Arley blinked.<em>Lie</em>, she told herself,<em> Lie.</em></p><p>"Nothing sir, I was-the Martian, I wasn't going to allow the Martian to re-enter Kaldur's mind, at least not alone. I was with her." Arley looked over at M'gann, who with glowing eyes held onto Kaldurs hand.</p><p>"Oh," Black Manta said, his helmet tipped back, "Good thinking." M'gann's eyes stopped glowing and she turned to the villain and Arley. "I just came to check on your progress."</p><p>"We've only just begun," M'gann said softly, "This could take days. Maybe weeks."</p><p>"You better not be stalling Martian," Black Manta warned.</p><p>"Father," Kaldur called out, Arley looked at the bed bound hero as Manta brushed past her to sit on the edge of the bed, "Father."</p><p>"My son," Manta said softly, "Kaldur'ahm, I'm here." Kaldur didn't make any more motions, he just— with a glazed over expression —stared at Manta.</p><p>"He's not back yet," M'gann said, "Not really."</p><p>"No but I see you are making progress. Keep it up and you'll live. Morningstar, a word." Arley nodded and made to follow the villain out of the room; Kaldur's bedroom door shut behind them. When they were in the submarines deserted corridor Manta looked at Arley, "The witch is being more cooperative then I imagined."</p><p>"You're having second thoughts on killing her sir?" Arley wondered.</p><p>"She's safe until she finishes repairing my son," Manta corrected. "Then she dies."</p><p>"Wonderful sir," Arley lied. <em>Kriff.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Nine — Complications</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"It's been so long, you've been my sister all along."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The three of them— Arley, Kaldur and M'gann —stood around the outside of Kaldur's childhood home. Kaldur's home was a large stone building, the yellow stones the home was made of had coral and seaweed growing up the sides of it. The home itself looked as if it had been built thousands of years ago; back when Atlantis had been above water and before the Amazons had retreated to a hidden, unplottable island.</p><p>"Do you think I could get your father to allow me to go to the mainland, like on a mission?" Arley proposed as she leaned against the brick of Kaldur's childhood home, though her face was mask less she wore her Green Lantern uniform just as Kaldur wore his old Aqualad uniform, "If Dickie and the team captures me they could barter for Megs release."</p><p>"Perhaps but for what reason would you go to the surface?" Kaldur reasoned from his spot against a light post.</p><p>"And why would Manta trade me for you-no offense," M'gann said; the Martian was floating in the water, her legs every so often kicked out beneath her and her arms moved in front of her. "I mean I destroyed Kaldur's mind, Manta wants me dead. Why would he trade us?"</p><p>Arley and Kaldur shared a secretive look; a calico smile curled at the edges of Kaldur's lips. M'gann's thin, red brows raised.</p><p>"What?" M'gann chuckled. Arley rolled her head so that she was looking at the Martian and grinned,</p><p>"So I don't know why-it's probably Kaldur's fault to be honest—"</p><p>"—I had to have more than she saved me from Nightwing as my reason to bring you aboard," Kaldur said; M'gann's molten colored eyes sparked.</p><p>"No!" M'gann gasped, a giggled escaped the Martian, "Manta thinks-you two?" M'gann clasped a hand to her mouth so that she could stifle her laughter that bubbled in her throat at the thought of Kaldur and Arley being romantically involved, "Wait until Wally hears!"</p><p>Arley— with a groan and half hidden smile—buried her face in her hands.</p><p>"Nortz help me if he finds out, he'll never let me live it down." Arley could already imagine it; her and Wally in ten years' time, married and maybe with a kid or two on the way only for Wally to jokingly greet Kaldur at the door of whatever home they'd settled down in by calling him his wife's boyfriend.</p><p>"Please," Kaldur said with a large smile and in an offended tone that held no real malice, "I am told anyone would be lucky to be with me."</p><p>"Yeah?" Arley joked, "By who? Your mom?"</p><p>M'gann let out a loud snorting sound, one Arley hadn't heard since before Conner had broken up with her; the three of them were in what was supposed to be Kaldur's broken psyche, two of them were undercover and one of them was technically a kidnapped hostage that was going to be murdered sooner rather than later and Arley knew they shouldn't be goofing around like they were still teenagers but she couldn't help it.</p><p>Kaldur hadn't been around in over a year, Arley had thought Kaldur was lost, and M'gann had thought her to be dead and Kaldur a turncoat; so perhaps it wasn't the best time to laugh but the three of them needed it.</p><p>Slowly their laughter died down; Kaldurs smile dimmed and he looked to M'gann.</p><p>"We should get back, if we spend too long here than Black Manta will be expecting more progress." M'gann eyed the sandy cobblestone ground beneath her feet.</p><p>"Right, of course."</p><p>Arley pushed off the wall and her hand rested on M'ganns forearm, the undercover Lantern shot her friend an encouraging smile, M'gann put her other hand over Arley's and met the Lanterns hazel eyes.</p><p>"Hey we'll still be linked up out there, okay?" Arley said.</p><p>"Right, of course,"  M'gann nodded.</p><p>And with a final squeeze M'gann's eyes glowed and the image that was Atlantis faded around Arley, darkening until the undercover hero was brought back to reality; she was sitting on Kaldur's bed, by his knees. M'gann was on the stool by his head, she had her hand over Kaldur's.</p><p>Arley— or rather Morningstar, her alias —turned to face the camera Manta had installed in his sons room.</p><p>"He's still not himself," Arley told Deathstroke, who was on the other end of the camera, watching— waiting —for M'gann to put even a toe out of line. Arley caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror— of her dark black hair and hazel eyes —and sighed. <em>But these days who is?</em></p><p>M'gann set her hand on Kaldur's forehead and the Atlantean remained still and unblinking as he looked on ahead, his eyes were no longer glazed over and there was a light in there that hadn't been before M'gann had started to reconstruct his mind.</p><p><em>"So,"</em> M'gann asked through the mind link, <em>"Our next move?"</em> Any trace of laughter or jovialness that had taken place in Kaldur's mind was gone. Arley met the alien's eye.</p><p>
  <em>"With that inhibitor blocking the rest of your powers, still no clue."</em>
</p><p><em>"Guess we're lucky Deathstroke hasn't pressed a button to block my psychic powers too."</em> M'gann raised a glass of water for Kaldur to drink to the Atlanteans lips, when he was done M'gann passed the glass to Arley.</p><p><em>"We're lucky Deathstroke hasn't pressed a button to blow off your head with the explosives built into the collar."</em> Arley stood and placed the glass on the dresser in the corner of the room.</p><p><em>"Like it matters,"</em> M'gann lamented, <em>"Manta's going to kill me as soon as he finds out I've fixed Kaldur's mind."</em></p><p><em>"Which is why he won't,"</em> Kaldur swore,<em> "At least, not until we've figured out an actual plan on how to save your life."</em></p><p><em>"Worse, comes to worse we'll just have to blow our cover,"</em> Arley said heavily through the mind link.</p><p><em>"We can't,"</em> Kaldur replied weakly, like he didn't believe what he was saying, like he was only saying it for Dicks sake,<em> "We've just been brought into into the fold—"</em></p><p><em>"—And how long do you think we can continue to stall Kaldur?"</em> Arley cut him off. Arley and M'gann turned when the door to Kaldur's room swung open; Manta stepped in, the villains shoulders were pushed back and the eyes of his helmet glowed a pulsing red.</p><p>Arley straightened her back and clicked her heels together as Manta looked at her. "Sir," she nodded. Manta nodded back before he looked to M'gann,</p><p>"My patience has run out Martian, you have twenty four hours. Finish curing my son or die." And with that Manta slammed the door shut behind him. M'gann's shoulder sagged.</p><p><em>"I guess that answers your question,"</em> M'gann said through the mind link, <em>"I'm doomed."</em> Arley couldn't put her hand on M'ganns shoulder but the supposedly dead Lantern imagined herself doing so.</p><p><em>"No,"</em> Arley promised, <em>"You're not. We'll figure something out, I promise."</em> She wouldn't let M'gann die.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Hours later, with only sixteen or so left to save M'ganns life, Arley found her back pressed against a wall as she, M'gann and Kaldur came up with a plan. It wasn't the best plan— Arley would, with a vacant eyed expression and almost robotic like movements, walk into the control room free M'gann from the collar; they would claim that M'gann had controlled her mind much like the way Psimon did to the people under his thrall. It was risky and Manta was liable to kill her where she stood after she was caught —but it was the only plan they had.</p><p><em>"So we're all agreed?"</em> Arley said with her arms folded over her chest.</p><p><em>"No we're not,"</em> M'gann protested, <em>"I don't want the two of you risking exposure for me."</em></p><p><em>"Instead you expect us to sit back and let you die?"</em> Kaldur shot back as his unblinking eyes stared head.<em> "No. Arley, begin."</em>  Kaldur ordered and a thrill ran up Arley's spine; it'd been too long since Kaldur had led her into battle.</p><p>Arley felt the splintered piece of her mind snapback and she straightened; Arley rolled her shoulders. Arley turned to the camera Deathstroke was monitoring; "Deathstroke, I've been here going on thirteen hours, I need to stretch my legs and I need coffee."</p><p>"Understood," Deathstroke's graveled voice rang out through the room. Arley turned and left; she paused at the mouth Kaldur's bedroom door and looked at the trooper Manta had stationed outside the Atlanteans room.</p><p>"Take over," Arley ordered the henchmen in a monotone voice, "I'll be back in five."</p><p>Arley, once the door swung shut and the trooper was in the room, walked down the submarines corridor only to pause at the door that lead to the kitchen; a Manta trooper with a full coffee pot in one hand and a mug in the other turned to Arley— to Morningstar—and held up the coffee pot.</p><p>"Want some?" The trooper asked, "Fresh pot?" The coffee inside the pot swirled as the trooper swished it around. Arley shook her head.</p><p>"No thanks," she said. The henchmen's brows knitted together at her tone but shook his head nonetheless. As the henchmen turned to pour the coffee in his mug Arley continued down the corridor. She had almost gotten to the control room when the submarine's alarms went off and Manta's voice rang out.</p><p>"Manta's communications, intruder alert. Reinforcements to my son's room. Now!"</p><p><em>Kriff</em> Arley thought loudly. Arley stepped into the submarines control room and looked at the last two Manta troopers who had stayed behind, "You two—" the henchmen's heads snapped up, "—Protect Kaldur'ahm. I'll coordinate through here."</p><p>Neither man answered; they simply grabbed the weapons that had been resting against their thighs and rushed out of the room leaving Arley alone in the submarine control room. Arley leaned forward and looked at the screen one of the toppers had rushed away from only to see it was a doppler navigation system.</p><p>Arley looked at the other screen; the second Manta trooper had been guarding only to see it was the submarine's oxygen levels. Arley looked at every screen, her eyes flickered to all the buttons on the control panels as she scanned for the inhibitor collars release.</p><p>"Moriningstar to Deathstroke," Deathstroke said into Arley's communicator, "One of Sportsmasters daughters—" Arley's spine straightened at the mention of the Nguyen-Crook sisters, her fingers paused over the control panel, "—The hero one has locked herself inside Kaldur'ahms cabin. The Martian is attempting to save him-she must know that if her patient dies so does she."</p><p>"What do you mean dies?" Arley hissed. Arley turned away from the control panel she was looking at and started to scan the one behind it for the button that would release M'gann from the inhibitor collar, "Is Sportsmasters daughter—" <em>Artemis</em>, "—Trying to kill Kaldur'ahm?"</p><p>"Yes," Deathstroke said in an almost amused tone of voice, "You better get back there now."</p><p><em>You're wrong,</em> Arley wanted to say, <em>Artemis doesn't kill. Artemis wouldn't cross that line, she doesn't want to become like her father.</em> But she didn't say that to Deathstroke, instead as she continued to look for the inhibitor collar release she said; "On my way."</p><p>Arley made her way down the line of screens; her eyes brightened when she saw the large button labeled <em>Collar Control.</em></p><p>"Finally!" Arley hissed as she pressed the button that deactivated the collar; she then turned and ran towards Kaldur's room— towards Artemis —and though Arley didn't feel her mind splinter and the mind link reform Arley still tried to reach out to M'gann.</p><p><em>"Megs the collar's off, you should have all your powers back-Megs!"</em>  With a gasp Arley sidestepped a blast that had come from Manta's helmet.</p><p>The undercover Lanterns eyes widened at the sight of Jade— Cheshire —twirling her sword as she faced off against Black Manta. The former assassin's hair flowed as she rushed up to Manta, her sword slashing the air as she tried to bring it down on Manta.</p><p>Manta blocked and dodged every slice and battled it with heavy hits of his own only for Cheshire to catch the villains hand in her own. Jade's knees buckled as Manta tried to push through her grip; Jade's foot slid up and kicked Manta away.</p><p>"Morningstar to my son!" Manta ordered as he caught sight of Arley; Manta slowly got to his feet, his hand braced his weight on the submarine's wall.</p><p>"Yes sir!" Arley answered. She unsheathed one of the swords she had strapped to her back and ran at Jade, purposely missing each and every swing, Arley pushed Jade back three steps before she rolled underneath the masked assassins arm.</p><p>Arley pushed up and kicked Jade away as she got to her feet; her sword was drawn protectively in front of her as she kneeled in front of Manta.</p><p>"Take her," Manta changed his order, "I'm saving my son!" And perhaps— as Manta ran quickly towards Kaldurs room —if he wasn't a villain with the blood of innocence on his hands and world domination playing through his mind at all times of the day, Arley would respect him and his drive to keep Kaldur safe.</p><p>"I'm coming for you Manta!" Jade called out. Jade rushed at Arley and Arley— as Jade swung her blade down at her —jumped to the side; Jade swung her sword again and Arley ducked out of the way. Arley raised her sword and shot forward, not to run Jade through but rather match her; their blades let out a loud scratch as they slid against one another.</p><p>Jade stepped back, her sword went with her.</p><p>Arley stepped forward and Jade sliced at Arley; Arley's head bobbed back but her sword stayed out in front of her. Arley's eyes widened as Jades blade broke hers; the top half of Arley's blade went flying and Jade took the lapse in Arley's concentration as an opening to attack.</p><p>Arley flew back through the corridor and landed on her stomach.</p><p>"You're fighting for the wrong team," Jade declared as she peered down at Arley from behind her mask. Jade stepped up to Arley with her sword drawn and ready; "So don't take this personally." Jade raised her sword and Arley braced herself— M'gann was safe and Kaldur was healed and one way or another once Manta found out about M'ganns collar she was dead anyway —only for her mind to splinter and for the submarine corridor to fade.</p><p>Arley woke up with a gasp on a bench. The others— Jade, Kaldur, M'gann and Artemis —were on a Manhattan street outside of the east ninety-fifth street ice cream shop Sundaes and Cones. The air was a cold as it had been the first time Arley and Artemis had visited the shop.</p><p>Arley got up off of the bench and stepped closer to Kaldur; Artemis and Jade looked around wildly. Arley looked at the bench she had moved from.</p><p>Five years ago on that same freshly painted bench Arley— before she had known about Sportsmaster or Jade and everything else Artemis had once tried to hide from the team —had sworn to Artemis that no matter she would always be in Artemis' corner, that even if the world was against Artemis she would stand true by the archers side.</p><p>"How dare you," Artemis said rawly as she glared at M'gann there were tears in the corners of the blondes eyes, "How dare you go into my mind and steal this memory! Arley was your friend too!"</p><p>"This isn't your memory Arty," Arley said softly, she stepped away from Kaldur and got closer to Artemis, "It's mine." Arley looked at M'gann who nodded and slowly Kaldur's old Aqualad uniform materialized over his body and the masks— Jade and Artemis's —faded along with Arley's glamor charm.</p><p>Arley grabbed Artemis' hand in hers, "I'm alive."</p><p>Artemis shook her head but didn't take her hands from Arley's, "No-I buried you."</p><p>"Look," M'gann said and the memory of Kaldur and Arley faking her death played; Jade's eyes widened at the sight of Kaldurs sword bending along the curve of Arley's ribs. The memory of Dick wrapping the glamor charm around Arley's neck played after; Arley watched as her dark hair lightened and her skin paled. "Kaldur didn't kill Arley, they faked her death so that she could join his deep cover mission to infiltrate the Light and the Reach."</p><p>As the memories faded Artemis, with tears in her eyes looked at Arley.</p><p>"You're-you're alive?" Arley's grip on Artemis' hands tightened.</p><p>"Yeah," Arley nodded, "So you don't need to kill Kaldur."</p><p>The question of why she would even try to kill Kaldur floated through the room, echoing, though it didn't leave Arley's mind. Artemis, with a bashful smile that wobbled at the ends, looked at Arley.</p><p>"He killed you," Artemis said, "He killed you and I couldn't let him get away with that. You're my sister; mom was in prison for most of my life and you know how my father treated me and Jade she left—" Jade looked away from both young women, "—But you didn't even know me and yet you trusted me. You loved me even when there wasn't a reason to. Conner told me what you did for me and Wally when Savage took us—" Arley tried not to think about how far she had gone when Vandal Savage and the Light had taken Wally and Artemis four years ago, she tried not to think about what she had done to get them back, "—So how  could I not want to go after the person who took you away, who killed you?"</p><p>"Oh Arty," Arley murmured, her own tears dotted the corners of her eyes; she threw her arms around Artemis's neck and pulled the girl into a tight, bone crushing hug. Artemis returned the hug just as tightly and when they slowly began to let go of one another Arley turned to Jade with a questioning gaze.</p><p>Jade crossed her arms over her chest; a light hearted smirk graced her face.</p><p>"I wasn't going to let someone kill my daughter's godmother and get away with it."</p><p>Arley's heart soared.</p><p>"Godmother?" </p><p>"I know you're Jewish and all but still; Red and I talked, we wanted-want," Jade corrected, "You to be Lian's godmother. So I wasn't going to let someone kill you and get away with it nor was I going to let my little sister avenge you alone."</p><p>With a grin Arley's arm shot out and grabbed Jade; Arley pulled the former assassin into a tight hug. And when they pulled away Jade smirked at Kaldur.</p><p>"You so dodged a bullet fish boy."</p><p>Kaldur, who'd been Roy's best man at his and Jade's civil union smirked back at the former assassin.</p><p>"We thank you for the cooperation."</p><p>Arley looked at M'gann, her arms stilled wrapped around both Nguyen-Crook sisters.</p><p>"We should probably get back now, before Manta and his men get Jade and Arty." Arley turned her head and looked at Jade, "Try not to kill me out there?"</p><p>With a teasing grin Jade looked at Arley.</p><p>"We'll see Greenie, we'll see." And before Arley got to curse Roy or protest the nickname the Manhattan street disappeared and Arley was thrown back into reality; Jade's sword bared down at her and Arley barrel rolled out of the way.</p><p>Jades weapon embedded itself into the submarine's flooring. The sound of Manta troopers footsteps could be heard and Arley looked at Jade with a smirk, the mind link was still formed. <em>"How good is your acting?"</em></p><p><em>"Better than yours,"</em> Jade shot back, <em>"I'm sure."</em></p><p>
  <em>"And one thing Jade?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah?"</em>
</p><p><em>"Before you leave I need you to destroy the control room; like blow it the kriff up for me."</em> The echoes of footsteps were louder than before and Jade smirked at Arley.</p><p><em>"I do love property damage,"</em> Jade sang through the mind-link.</p><p>Arley jumped to her feet and swung at Jade who abandoned her sword; Jade blocked Arley's hit and threw her leg up only for Arley to block it with the outer part of her right arm. Arley teetered left and the sound of the henchmen's footsteps got louder.</p><p>Three henchmen ran into the corridor with the guns drawn and with a mischievous look in Jades' eyes the former assassin kicked Arley into the first of Manta's men, Arley's elbow crushed the front of the henchmen's helmet and as she got up the heel of her foot accidently pressed against the man solar plexus.</p><p>Arley lunged at Jade as she threw one of Manta's men head first into the wall. Arley swung at Jade and the former assassin grabbed Arley by the wrist and pulled her forward; Jade sidestepped Arley so that she had run head first into the wall.</p><p>As Arley's head spun— and she missed the healing abilities that came with the ring —she heard Jade attack the last henchmen before taking off down the corridor. Arley, with a smirk, rested her head against the wall of the submarine when she heard a loud blast coming from the control room.</p><p>The video from the cameras would be gone and everyone would suspect that Jade and Artemis had been the ones to let M'gann out of the inhibitor collar.</p><p>"Morningstar," Deathstroke said through the communicator, "Sportsmasters daughters are making a break for the exit, meet me in the docking bay."</p><p><em>Don't call them Sportsmasters daughters;</em> Arley wanted to snap.</p><p>"Right, coming," Arley groaned as she pushed herself up. She glared at the scattered henchmen that laid sprawled out across the corridors floor; what she wouldn't give just to lay down for another minute, but as they say there ain't no rest for the wicked.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley got to the docking bay just as Deathstroke had pulled out a gun; he had Jade on the ground underneath him and Artemis was in the air with a sword drawn. Deathstroke's gun went flying and Arley lunged at her best friend; the two hit the ground and rolled. Deathstroke looked up and away from Jade as Arley looked back at him,</p><p>"I have the blonde!" Arley said. Jade's legs swung up and around Deathstroke's neck; Deathstroke hit the ground as Jade pushed herself up. The masked man pulled out a staff that had a pointed blade at its send and Jade pulled out two sai that had been strapped to her thighs.</p><p><em>"So why did you take the mission?"</em> Artemis asked lowly as she flipped Arley so that she was hovering over the undercover Lantern. Artemis had her hands wrapped around Arley's wrists.</p><p><em>"Cause you wanted out,"</em> Arley thought, <em>"You were Dickies first choice and I wasn't going to let him pull you back in-not when you want a normal life."</em> </p><p>Artemis' head jerked back, her lips parted and she went to say something only for Deathstroke's voice to drown out whatever Artemis was going to say.</p><p>"Stop toying with her and finish it!"</p><p>Arley's head jerked forward and flipped them so that once more she was on top. Arley grabbed the sia that had flown from Cheshire's grasp and raised it over her head.</p><p><em>"Megs!"</em> Arley thought.</p><p><em>"Incoming!"</em> The Martian replied. With a wave of her hands Arley and Deathstroke flew through the air; Arley landed on Deathstroke as M'gann kept them against the wall.</p><p>"I'll finish him," Jade spat.</p><p>"No," M'gann replied, "Sorry but I've been planning my revenge for weeks." M'gann looked at Jade, "Don't push your luke Ches, you're lucky I'm letting you get away."</p><p>"Fine," Jade sneered as Artemis handed her a rebreather and wetsuit, "We're gone." When Jade and Artemis had disappeared into the airlock M'gann's eyes trailed over Deathstroke and Arley like a hungry lion.</p><p>"Let's see what fun I can have with you too," M'gann practically purred.</p><p>"Yes," Deathstroke sneered, "Lets."</p><p>And then, next to Arley's head, he dropped three small charged explosives that bounced and rolled; they exploded underneath M'gann's hovering feet. M'gann, with a scream, was blown back and Arley and Deathstroke dropped to the ground.</p><p><em>"M'gann!"</em> Arley snapped as Deathstroke got to his feet, <em>"Get out of here before he captures you again!"</em></p><p>
  <em>"Right-and sorry."</em>
</p><p><em>"Sorry?"</em>  With a flash of her eyes and a wave of M'gann's hand Deathstroke was thrown back into Arley and M'gann density shifted through the floor of the submarine leaving Arley— who quickly pushed an huffing Deathstroke off of her —alone in the submarines docking bay.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Ten — Follow You Into The Dark</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"Life I tell you, would be impossible without you."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Though she was alone in her quarters and in nothing more than a pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt she had long ago stolen from Wally, Arley still had her glamor charm wrapped around her neck. Arley had her feet tucked under her bed as she did sit ups; the undercover Lantern was ready to find the biggest of Manta's henchmen and demand he spar with her if only so her mind wouldn't wander.</p><p><em>Fifty-two. Fifty-three. Fifty-four,</em> Arley counted in her mind.</p><p>It was easier to keep the memories of war and bloodshed at bay when Aniell had shared her mind— the ring helped keep the Lantern thinking of other things —and Wally had been there to kiss her demons clear from her mind.</p><p>
  <em>Fifty-nine. Sixty. Sixty-one.</em>
</p><p>It had been easier not to lose herself when she hadn't been trapped in a submarine, hundred of miles below surface level.</p><p><em>Sixty-five. Sixty-six.</em> Arley paused on her sixty-seventh sit up when a quiet knock came from her door. Only one person knocked like that; Manta never waited after he knocked before he barged in and the toppers knocked like they were police executing a search warrant, loud and rough. With a small smile Arley wrapped her arms around her knees,</p><p>"Come on in Kaldur." The door slowly pushed open and the Atlantean peaked his head in first; Arley shot her friend a funny look. "I'm dressed you freak," Arley laughed, "I wasn't going to invite you in if I wasn't."</p><p>Kaldur stepped into the room with a coy smile; "You can never be too sure," he joked.</p><p>Karen had accidently done that to Kaldur once. Karen had been intent on surprising Mal and jumping him when he walked though the door when Kaldur— who had come by her dorm unexpectedly because she was late with mission reports —had knocked on her dorm room door. Karen hadn't thought that anyone else but Mal had been on the other side and told him to come in. Apparently Mal had heard Karen's cursing from where he had parked his bike.</p><p>Kaldur rested his back against Arley's door, his hands were crossed behind him.</p><p>Arley rolled her eyes, "Whatever-anyway what's up? Does Manta have an assignment for us?"</p><p>"No," Kaldur said, "But we are going to shore in a few hours time. My father—" Kaldur pauses at the word, his lips pressed together and Kaldur looked as if he was evaluating what had just come out of his mouth, "—He has business to attend to." Kaldur stepped forward with an outstretched hand and Arley got to her feet when she noticed a piece of paper in Kaldur's hand. With a quizzical gaze Arley took the paper and saw that it had the name of a motel and a number underneath it.</p><p>Arley turned the page over in her hand to see that there was nothing written on the back.</p><p>"We will be docking in Santa Cruz," Kaldur told her and Arley's heart leapt to her throat as she looked at Kaldur with wide and hopeful eyes. "I have taken the liberty to secure you a motel room." Kaldur lowered his voice to a whisper, "I'm sure if you call our friend he will meet you there."</p><p>The paper crinkled under Arley's grip.</p><p>She hadn't expected to see Wally until after the mission was over and the Light and Reach had been brought to justice; Arley's heart soared in her chest. "Thank you," Arley whispered, Kaldur waved her off.</p><p>"It is nothing, I will be meeting with our other friend a few rooms down," Kaldur admitted; Arley nodded. "But if my father or anyone asks—"</p><p>"—You were with me all night long," Arley cut Kaldur off with a smirk. Kaldur blew a chuckled breath of air out of his nose.</p><p>"Exactly." Arley tipped her head back and peered up at Kaldur,</p><p>"Manta-he's not going to give me the shovel talk right?" Arley asked, "Hurt my son and I'll come after you with laser eyes; I'm not sure I can stay straight faced if he does." Kaldur's teeth flashed as he smiled at Arley,</p><p>"No he will not," Kaldur chuckled, "I'll come back here to meet you when the ship nears port." Kaldur went to turn when Arley caught his wrist in her grip. With a quirked brow, Kaldur looked at Arley, silently asking why she had stopped him.</p><p>Arley had the note with the motel's name and room number crushed in the fist she had curled to her chest; "I-thanks Kal, seriously," Arley told him, "You don't know how much this means to me." Kaldur smiled easily at her.</p><p>"It's no problem."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>The National Nine motel rooms were eyesores; if you looked up the definition of blight in the dictionary you'd find three definitions, one of them would simply be a picture of the motel room Kaldur had booked for Arley and Wally. The rooms walls were paneled white and blue, the dark worn out carpet looked to be older than Arley's retirement age Phycology professor and the cheap fabric that made up the bedspread was a bright and gaudy pink and yellow.</p><p>The end of the Weekends new song Starboy played lowly over the motel rooms radio. A fan stood stationary in the corner of the room and Arley, as she waited on the edge of the bed for Wally's knock, counted the burn marks in the carpet.</p><p>There were six in total.</p><p>Arley's fingers drummed along her exposed knees; slowly they trailed up until the pads of her fingers danced along her bare throat. Arley's overnight bag and glamor charm rested on the other side of the room on top of the scuffed up dresser that looked to be as old as the carpet.</p><p>Quietly the radio host said that Closer, the Chainsmokers new song featuring Hasley was up next when a fast rapping sounded knock came from the door. Quickly— forgetting that anyone could be on the other side of the door and that she was a supposedly dead girl in nothing more than a stolen tee-shirt and underwear —Arley jumped up from the edge of the bed and moved across the room so that she could throw the motel rooms salmon colored door open.</p><p>Wally West, in a dark green tee-shirt and with his goggles still over his head sucked in a sharp breath when he saw Arley, and Arley, who had one of her hands still wrapped around the doorknob and the other around the wood of the doorframe froze.</p><p>For a moment it seemed as if the world itself had frozen; as if time itself had stopped. Arley's heart pounded in her ears; <em>Wally,</em> she thought with a breath, <em>He's here and he's real.</em></p><p>Wally's hair had grown out; his skin had tanned and the freckles that dotted his nose had become more apparent as they always did around summer. His emerald eyes sparkled as he looked at Arley. Gently Arley's hand moved from the doorframe and went to cup Wally's cheek; when Arley's open palm made contact with the warm skin of Wally's cheek it seemed as if time had started back up because the speedster suddenly sprung ford, his arms wrapped around Arley's neck has his hands cradled the back of her head as his lips modeled themselves against Arleys.</p><p>Wally's googles flew off of his head as Arley stumbled back into the room; her hands fisted the fabric of Wally's shirt.</p><p>Wally's long leg kicked the motel room door shut with a loud and resounding bang. Arley pressed herself harder against Wally and Wally's fingers threaded themselves through Arley's hair so that he could tug her closer to himself. The pair were flushed against one another and yet, after two months away from each other, it wasn't close enough.</p><p>A borderline obscene moan left Arley's mouth as Wally's tongue traced her bottom lip; the back of her knees hit the edge of the motel's bed. If Arley stayed upright it was only because of how tightly Wally West had wound his arms around her.</p><p>She missed this; she missed him.</p><p>Wally's hands untangled themselves from Arley's dark hair. They trail down her back and move to her hips, which Arley kept nudging against his clothed groin. Arley lets out a whimper as Wally's lips move and begins to leave a trail of molten hot kisses down to her neck; his tongue flicks out when he finds her pulse and Arley arches her back. Wally bared his teeth and grazed them softly across her skin.</p><p>"Wally," Arley groaned; more, she needed more of him. All of him. That have the rest of the night to take it slow— to do it right —but in that moment all Arley wanted was for Wally West to fuck her like the horny, kiss-drunk college students they were.</p><p>Arley's hands that had been fisted in his shirt started to pull at the fabric, lifting it until it's up and over Wally's head and thrown haphazardly across the room. Arley didn't wait for Wally to start to pull at her own shirt before she threw it off too; her fumbling hands— as Wally's trail up from her hips and cup the undersides of her breasts —found the belt that'd been secured around Wally's waist and yanked it from his jeans, sending it too to the floor with a clunk. When she tugged his jeans down the curve of his hips, Wally— whose lips are attached to the expansion of skin just below her left ear —begins to lower her onto the monstrous looking bedspread.</p><p>Wally, as Arley pushed herself back further onto the bed followed after her and with a flick of his fingers the only non sports bra Arley's brought undercover with her is snapped open. The black straps of her bra fall down her arms and the undercover hero pushed them down her arms and off of her; Wally pressed a searing kiss against Arley's lips and for a moment, the undergarment is trapped between them.</p><p>Wally brought his hips down, the speedster settled in the center of her open legs so that his erection was pressed right up against the seam of her underwear. Arley threw her bra to some part of the room; far, far away from them.</p><p>"Fuck me," Arley panted, Wally's forehead is pressed against hers as he grinded their hips together in a mind fogging way that made the Lantern's blood ignite. She hadn't forgotten what being with Wally was like— it'd only been two months —but she had forgotten exactly how he made her feel; she'd forgotten the impatient burning and the half crazed thoughts he made flood her sense. "Please Wally, please." She begged.</p><p>"Okay," Wally breathed with a smile. Wally drew away to drag her old, cotton, polka-dotted underwear off, almost as if he were savoring the way it slid down her legs, "Any-anything for you Glowstick." And then he's off of her completely, it'd only been for a second so that he could rummage around the pockets of his pants but it'd been a second long enough for goosebumps to appear over Arley's heated skin.</p><p>Wally was back on her a second after that; his underwear is heaped together with his jeans. Wally hooked his hands behind Arleys knees, bringing them up on either side of him as he lowered himself. Impatiently, Arley opened them wider, her lips puffy and eyes lidded with desire.</p><p>She loved him— Arley loved Wally more than in the air in her lungs; Wally took a couple fingers and languidly ran them up her exposed skin —but she'd strangle him to death if he didn't get inside of her that very minute.</p><p>"Wally," Arley pleaded only for her jaw to snap shut when he pushed a finger inside of her. Her hips twitch when he enters another finger.</p><p>"I know Glowstick," Wally cooed; Arley's chest sputters at the nickname. She missed hearing it and for the life of her Arley couldn't remember why she had ever used to protest the embarrassing name. Slowly— drawing out every motion just to drive her crazy because he knows he can —he pulls his fingers out; swiftly though, he flips her over onto her stomach.</p><p>A thrill shoots up Arley's spine as Wally rests on his knees between her legs; now with her back to him. With a waton whimper he pulled her toward him with her hips. Arley can feel Wally place himself against the curve of her ass and she pushes back against the speedster; they both breathe in sharply at the sensation.</p><p>Perhaps it had only been two months but two months was longer then they had ever gone since they'd started having sex.</p><p>Wally pushed her loose hair aside to lick a line up her shoulder to her throat; the speedster nipped at the skin before allowing his tongue to press flatly against the abused mark. All while teasing at her clit with his index finger as he did so. Arley let out a loud, pleasure filled cry as he pinched it gently between his fingers.</p><p>"Fuck me!" Arley cried, her toes already curled in anticipation, "Please Wally, please!"</p><p>And he did; Wally plunged inside her Arley collapsed, and she would have fallen against the hideous, crinkled bedspread had Wally not used his other arm to wrap around her waist like a lifeline, drawing her back flush against his chest.</p><p>Wally— truly a speedster —set a pace so hard and fast that Arley cried out with every thrust; completely forgetting that their friends were several doors down and that any number of strangers could be in the rooms surrounding them. Arley reached overhead to tangle her fingers in his red hair, needing something to hang onto as he plowed into her.</p><p>Wet dripped down Arley's leg and Wally dampened his fingers with it before bringing them back to the bundle of nerves. He swirled his fingertips over her clit with leisure, a pace completely at odds with the way he moved inside her.</p><p>Arley's thighs shook on either side of Wally's and Wally moved his arm from her waist to her clavical allowing Arley to arch away from him; Wally moved the hand that had been toying with her to the small of her back, arching her more and for a second, Arley could have sworn she saw stars.</p><p>"Nortz," Arley cried, the grip she had on Wally's hair tightened; "Oh Nortz!"</p><p>"I missed you," Wally growled into her hair, unable to stop himself. Wally straightened himself as he pulled out slowly and slammed in again. Arley lets out a whimper as she turned her head to look at him; her hands were still tangled in his hair and the supposed dead hero brought the speedster down for a teeth-mashing kiss.</p><p>When they pulled away from one another a thin line of spit connected them; it was gross and Arley's nose scrunched up at the sight of it, though a small smile played on her swollen lips. She let out a giggle that sent Wally beaming as he swatted the spit away; and when he moved back so that his face was once more buried into the crook of her neck, Wally picked up full throttle.</p><p>Arley's flown by stars— by suns —and she's felt the fire of ships prickle her skin as they went down in the heat of battle but there was a fire flooding Arley's veins as Wally continues to move in and out of her— faster and faster, harder and harder —that can't compare to burning stars or fiery ships.</p><p>"'M gonna-gonna cum," Arley sobbed. Wally's hand moved back to her core and with a shout Arley fell over the edge; Wally was quick to follow behind with rougher— sloppier —thrusts. His dancing fingers never left Arley's core as her back arched at an almost extreme angle and her legs shook violently beneath them.</p><p>Arley's fingers pulled at his red hair so hard the Lantern was sure it had to hurt; but Wally didn't complain as he continued to ride her; carrying them both over their highs until there's nothing left to chase.</p><p>Wally didn't collapse onto Arley as soon as he was done but he didn't pull out either; slowly, as they both struggle to regain their breathing and Arley untangled her fingers from Wally's hair, Wally buried his face back into the crook of Arley's neck, his arms wobbly bared his weight as he rested his forearms on either side of Arley's head.</p><p>"Best greeting ever," Wally murmured into Arley's hair.</p><p>"Yeah," Arley said with a laugh, "Sorry about jumping you Handsome. I missed you." Wally pressed a feathered kiss to Arley's neck; her thick dark hair matted the contact but nonetheless Wally grinned, his teeth pressed against her damp skin.</p><p>"Don't apologize, in fact I'd be happy if you always greeted me like that Glowstick." Slowly, and with a hiss, Wally pulled himself out of Arley; the speedster shifted his weight so that he could toss the condom into the trash the motel maids had set in between the wall and bedside table.</p><p>Wally slumped on the bed next to Arley; one of his arms tucked under his head while the other was placed softly on the small of her back.</p><p>Arley turned to look at Wally, her leg draping itself over his thigh, "Sounds pretty impractical to me Handsome, I mean can you imagine if I attacked you every time I saw you?" A coy smiled played on Wally's lips, his eyes— for a second —clouded over.</p><p>"Yeah and I've got to say babe," Wally teased as he inched his face closer to Arley's, "The more I think about it, the more I like it." With a snort Arley's fingers walked their way down Wally's bare and freckled shoulder, down his arm and to the hand he placed on the small of her back.</p><p>Arley threaded her fingers with Wally's; the undercover hero's brows knitted together when she felt familiar ring design on Wally's finger. Arley moved so that their hands were no longer behind her and instead held Wally's hand up to the motel room's white ceiling.</p><p>Arley's fingers retracted and curled into the speedsters palm as she marveled at his hand because on his ring finger was Aniell. Two of Arley's fingers— her middle and index —uncurled and stretched up; gently she touched the warm metal of her ring.</p><p>She missed Wally more than anything; but by Nortz did Arley miss Aniell. Arley missed her rings chimed laughter and the witty quips only something as old as a Lanterns ring could come up with. She missed never being truly alone.</p><p>"What happened to wearing her around your neck?" Arley wondered; Wally shrugged, his warm breath fanned the side of Arley's face. Arley could clearly remember her ring around the chain Wally had kept around his neck. Their hands lowered and the pads of Arley's fingers slowly began to trace the curve of Wally's cheek; Wally's fingers quickly became entangled in Arley's— knotty —hair.</p><p>"Dunno, just felt closer to you this way."</p><p>Arley arched a brow.</p><p>"Oh?" Wally's cheeks pinked and an almost sky smile played on his still swollen lips.</p><p>"When I miss you," Wally said candidly, "I slip the ring on and imagine our future."</p><p>She loved him; the air that swelled in Arley's lungs didn't seem like enough to help her breath.</p><p>"You do?" Arley whispered.</p><p>"Of course I do, I'm gonna marry you one day, Glowstick," Wally declared; he said it in such a way that there was no arguing. It was as if he had told her the color of the sky or the atomic number of bromine; irrefutable.</p><p>"Yeah?" Arley breathed. She could see it— their wedding —her and Wally surrounded by their friends and family in a few years time. She could picture herself dressed in white and being led down the aisle by Guy as Wally in a bowtie— because despite being old enough to drink and a certifiable genius Wally West didn't know how to properly tie a tie —stood waiting for her at the altar.</p><p>"Yeah, and I think about those kids Bart said we'd have—"</p><p>"—I want our daughter to be named after my mama," Arley said as she leaned closer to Wally, Bart had already— accidently —confirmed that one of their children would be named after her but still, Arley felt as though she needed to say it. The young woman blushed at the thought that escaped her mouth; "I mean, you know when we have one. I'd like to name her after my mom."</p><p>"Only if make her middle name Vivian," Wally bargained.</p><p>"Vivian?" Arley blinked; Wally shrugged.</p><p>"It's a nice name." <em>It was,</em> Arley thought; <em>Maria Vivian West.</em></p><p>"What else do you see?" Arley asked, "When you think about our future, what else comes to mind?"</p><p>"Well," Wally started, "I know you don't want to leave the city—" it was true, Arley couldn't imagine living anywhere but a city, "—But I'm not raising our kids in an apartment so maybe we compromise. There's a bunch of homes in places like Fairfield."</p><p>"You really want a house," Arley mused and Wally grinned.</p><p>"Course I do, I mean how else am I going to give you a garden of sunflowers?" Arley's heart swelled; ever since she'd been a child and read the Basque myth on how sunflowers had come to be they had always been her favorite flower. Ever since she'd been a teenager Arley had wanted a garden of sunflowers; though she tended to kill every plant she came into contact with, something everyone who knew her liked to laugh at, <em>because how ironic was it for a Lantern not to have a green thumb?</em></p><p>"You want to give me a garden?" With a hum Wally dipped his head forward and pressed his lips gently against arms,</p><p>"Babe I want to give you everything." Arley's head bobbed forward; kissing Wally once more she rolled them so that she was on top of him, her legs were tangled with his as she rested her weight on him.</p><p>"What else?" Arley asked, the tips of their noses touched, "How many kids do you actually see us with?" When Bart had shown up from the future he had alluded to the two of them having at least four. He had mentioned a Maria— like her mother —and a Rosie, he hadn't mentioned the others by name but he had made it seem like there was one or two more West children to be named.</p><p>"Five," Wally said. Arley couldn't help but snicker at the speedster.</p><p>"And who's carrying all those kids," Arley wondered, "You?" With a grin Wally's eyes twinkled. Arley loved his smile; some people thought the best part of Wally West were his brains and other people thought his powers were what made him special— and they did —but to Arley Wally's smile could light entire cities.</p><p>"Twins run in the West family in case you forgot." Arley rolled her eyes, her smile though, only grew.</p><p>"Right-so five kids and a house; and Bodie, you can't forget him."</p><p>"No of course not, Bodie will have a dog house in the corner of the yard," Wally said, "And there'll be your garden and when you come back from missions—"</p><p>"—What if I don't?" Arley asked and Wally's face crumbled automatically, the speedster's elbows dug into the mattress and he pushed himself up; Arley straddled him, her hands braced his shoulders, his gripped her waist.</p><p>"Don't say that," Wally hissed, "Arley I can't imagine a world without you," Wally said visibly stressed from the idea of her being dead.</p><p>"I didn't mean like that Wally," Arley said softly. Her face pinched together and twisted, "What I meant was, if after this mission, when Kaldur and I come back up, what if that's it for me? What if I retired from the game?"</p><p>"You love being a Lantern though," Wally said and Arley nodded because she did, she loved the Corps; they were the first family she ever had, the first people to love her. Arley had— ever since she'd gotten her ring and made it through boot camp —always assumed she'd be a Lantern until the day she died.</p><p>"I do, but Wally, if the Reach isn't kicked off world I'm not going back to the Corps."</p><p>Wally's lips parted; "What, why?" The lengthy chapter in the Book of Oa flashed through Arley's mind.</p><p>"A long time ago-before the rings even started coming to Earth, the Reach and the Corps fought each other," it was more than just a fight, it'd been a bloody war that'd spanned centuries and claimed countless lives, "The Corps won, obviously but when the Guardians and the leader of the Reach signed a peace treaty an agreement was-well, reached. Lanterns can't stay-can't go to any Reach inhibited planet. Which means if they're not kicked off the planet by the time I can take back my ring then I won't be taking my ring back," Arley told him. "I won't live a life without you by my side Wally-if the time comes to choose between you or the Corps, then the choice is you."</p><p>Wally's brows knitted together.</p><p>"But Hal," Wally said, "And Guy and John and Katma and Kilowog-Arley they're your family."</p><p>"And so are you," Arley said; her hands moved from Wally's shoulders to his neck, she cupped the underside of his jaw. "Wally I love my dads-my family. I love the Corps," she stressed, "But when push comes to shove it's you. It will always be you."</p><p>Wally rested the back of his head against the motel bed's wooden headboard and looked at Arley like he was seeing the secrets of the universe; he looked mesmerized and confused but also totally and completely elated. He looked like he had just been told he'd won the lottery; he looked like a kid in a candy shop.</p><p>"How did I ever get so lucky to be with you?" Wally murmured before— with his lips pressed seeringly to Arleys —he rolled to the side and locked Arley underneath him. The Lantern felt the speedster start to harden against her; with half lidded eyes Arley smirked up at him.</p><p>"I don't know Handsome, I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one." And she was lucky to be loved by Wally West; kind and funny and smart Wally West.</p><p>Wally— completely forgetting the second condom in his wallet —bared down at Arley and pressed a toe curling kiss; and Arley, forgetting everything that she had learned in her sixth grade health class, pressed a breathless kiss against Wally West's lips.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Eleven — Summit</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"I loved a boy once who shined like he could be the sun."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Though she be, little she contained multitudes; or something, Arley couldn't quite remember the Shakespearen quote because as she and Kaldur readied themselves to leave the main ship in Manta's fleet and meet with the team, all the undercover Lantern wanted to do was vomit. Arley was nervous and guilty and happy and despite years and years of experience in controlling her emotions and bottling them up all Arley wanted to do was cry over emotionally and for no one specific reason.</p><p>The guilt that had settled in her bones when Kaldur had first told her about Jaime being under Reach control still weighed heavily on her— because she had been the one to hand him over to the Reach, she had been the hero to step up to the plate as his mentor in Ted Kords wake —despite Manta all but singing that the Light's plan to allow the League free the young hero had gone off without a hitch.</p><p>The nerves that prickled at her insides terrified her because the team would know she was alive— Conner and Jaime and Bart and all the others —and they could reject her. They could look at the lie she and Kaldur had told with Dicks help and they could want to do nothing more than wipe there's hands clean of her. They could— her family could —hate her.</p><p>And despite the guilt and the fear that gripped her, Arley was happy because after the summit between the Light and the Reach, when Arley and the team had finally gathered enough evidence of the twos crimes she could rejoin the land of the living. She could once more curl up with Bodie, her pet vulpimancer as Wally cooked dinner in the kitchen and Artemis sang badly in the shower, and she could visit Roy and Jade as she watched Lian— her goddaughter —grow up.</p><p>A loud thunderous knock came from the door of Kaldur's room and Kaldur and Arley, both of whom had been anxiously awaiting Deathstroke's arrival shot up from the Atlanteans bed, Kaldur opened the door; Arley hovered behind him, her hand on the hilt of her chain-scythe.</p><p>Deathstroke had been the assassin who'd killed Ted Kord, he'd helped Arley kidnap M'gann and he was more dangerous now— just as she and Kaldur were about to betray the Light —than ever.</p><p>"It's time," Deathstroke said, his long platinum hair puffed out of it's ponytail behind his helmet. Kaldur nodded his head, Kaldur stepped to the side so that Arley could pass him and join Deathstroke in the hall. Behind her— as Deathstroke looked at her with a calculating gaze —Kaldur shut the heavy metal door to his quarters.</p><p>"Will my father be sending troopers with us to scout the summit's location?" Kaldur asked. They had already managed to tell Dick that Manta would only be sending them and Deathstroke alone to secure the summit's location but plans as important as these tended to change.</p><p>"No, just us. Unless of course you're still under the weather," Deathstroke practically sneered.</p><p>"Kaldur'ahm is in the best shape of his life; you one the other hand-I put you on your ass yesterday in training, did I not?" Arley sniped back. With every step her hair— the blonde curls that glamor charm showed the world —bounced in the ponytail she'd thrown up.</p><p>Deathstrokes' golden eye narrowed behind the mask and the assassins fingers curled into a fist.</p><p>"I disarmed you before that Morningstar."</p><p>Arley shrugged nonetheless,</p><p>"Then I suppose it is safe to say, Kaldur'ahm is better than both of us ami." The bile that'd been bubbling in her stomach very nearly shot up her throat as she referred to the masked criminal as her friend. He was anything but.</p><p><em>A few more hours</em>, Arley told herself, <em>A few more hours and then you're home free. A few more hours and then you're home.</em></p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>The summit between the Light and the Reach was to be held in four hours time in an old underground cave on Isla Santa Prisca Vandal Savage had handpicked; Arley— as she, Kaldur and Deathstroke surveyed the outside of the cave for alien traps —almost wanted to ask if either man thought this was the hole Vandal had been born in fifty thousand years ago.</p><p>She didn't of course; Rosalie Dembitzer— Morningstar—would never say such things, but still, she thought it.</p><p>A bird flew overhead; it was too high up to be distinguishable— to see that it was all green —but it did however, let out a familiar call, one that had Kaldur's shoulders rolling back and Arley straightening up.</p><p>"I suppose we should check inside the cave now," Kaldur said. Arley turned to Deathstroke; the team— who was supposed to have been told everything from Kaldur pretending to join Manta, to Arley's death and the summit itself —was supposed to attack before the three of them entered the cave.</p><p>A buzzing bumblebee sized creature flew by Arley's ear; Arley bit back her smile as her insect sized friend looped around her ponytail— Arley ignored the good natured tugging she felt —before flying off towards Kaldur. Neither Arley or Kaldur knew just how many tunnels there were in the cave; to attack Deathstroke inside there— allowing him the chance to escape —was foolish.</p><p>"I suppose so," Deathstroke said. The assassin took a step towards the opening of the cave the members of the Light were meant to go through only for a dark, shaggy haired vigilant to roll out of the forest brush; Nightwing's escrima sticks were held out in front of himself defensively.</p><p>"Sorry, don't think so," Nightwing said. Deathstroke reached for the hilt of his sword and unsheathed the weapon. Arley reached for her chain scythe and pulled the weapon from her side as both Robin and Batgirl dropped from the trees; Wonder Girl Blue Beetle, both Wally and Impulse and Conner, Lagoon Boy and Artemis emerged from the surrounded wood. Kaldur pulled out his water bearers.</p><p>M'gann hovered overhead, a smirk playing on her lips.</p><p>"Kaldu—" Deathstroke cut himself off when he saw that the Atlantean and Arley were turned towards him with their weapons drawn, not the team of young heroes. "—Of course," Deathstroke sneered. "Your father will be so disappointed; hopefully your head will make up for your betrayal."</p><p>"Try it," Arley goaded Deathstroke's eye flickered to Arley, "You're outnumbered, and out matched."</p><p>Like all overconfident villains, he did try it.</p><p>Deathstroke lunged at the Lantern— Deathstroke swung his blade at the Lantern —Arley gracefully jumped up and over the assassin as she used his own shoulders to vault herself over him; Arley swung her chain scythe as she spun to which Deathstroke dodged by dipping back. The chain of Arley's weapon wrapped around the blade of the assassin's sword and Arley pulled. Kaldur rushed forward— his water bearers having taken the form of a large, single war hammer —and attacked the masked member of the Light while he was distracted; Deathstroke dropped his sword and turned just as Kaldur swung the hammer up.</p><p>Deathstroke would have gone flying through the air had M'gann not used her telekinesis to stop him; Impulse zoomed forward with an inhibitor collar in hand and snapped it around the restrained assassin's neck.</p><p>Arley turned to Wonder Girl and Superboy as M'gann shot Deathstroke forward and towards them, both Superboy and Wonder Girl had their arms reeled back as Deathstroke neared them and the pair of them punched the man simultaneously, knocking him out.</p><p>Batgirl and Robin rushed forward; Batgirl had a pair of thick cuffs in one hand and a second pair in the other to bind Deathstokes ankles.</p><p>"That was kind of anti-climatic," Bart laughed; he ran a hand through his hair as he smiled broadly around him. Slowly the team crept forward and terror gripped at Arley's heart. They hated her and Kaldur for lying to them, they had to.</p><p>Karen grew in size as M'gann floated Deathstroke up to the bio-ship.</p><p>Arley smiled shakily at the future speedster and the auburn haired boy looked at her, his wide and beaming smile shrank to a soft one and though he had a visor over his eyes Arley could see the West family kindness shining in them.</p><p>"It's good to have you back, cous-even if you know, you look like a total and complete stranger."</p><p>Tears sprung to Arley's eyes and with a loud laugh she scooped the boy into a tight, bone crushing hug; Bart's arms wrapped around Arley and Wally, from over the boy's shoulder smiled at her before he turned to Kaldur; they'd have time— a lifetime —together later.</p><p>"It's good to be back."</p><p>A cough rang out and Arley, with her arms still around Bart turned to see Conner and Jaime, both with their arms crossed over their chests; Conner has a small frown on his face, his brows were turned down and knitted together and Jaime only had the corners of his lips tipped up.</p><p>"Conner-Jaime," Arley breathed, her arms fell from Bart and as Kaldur was greeted by the other team members. Guilt swelled in Arley's throat at the sight of the young Hispanic teen. Arley stepped towards the two males, "I'm sorry-so, so sorry."</p><p>She was sorry for lying; for pretending to die, for handing Jaime over to the Reach and allowing them control over his mind.</p><p>Jaime nodded; he looked away as he reaffirmed his crossed arms over his chest. Arley's heart clenched and she looked at Conner.</p><p>"I know," Conner said, still looking at Arley, he took a small step forward, "Nightwing told me and La'gaan when you took M'gann. I know why you did it," Conner said. And then in one, foul swoop he picked Arley up and brought her against his chest, her arms were trapped at her sides as he bent at the waist to intensify the hug. "Just never die on me again okay? I don't think I'd be able to handle it."</p><p>Tears sprang to Arley's eyes and the disguised hero pressed her face against Conners shoulder; he still considered her to be family.</p><p>"Never," Arley promised. She breathed in Conner's grease monkey sent; "I missed you."</p><p>With a brotherly kiss to her temple Conner put her back on the ground, "Missed you too."</p><p>"Wally gave you your birthday present right?" Arley asked, still against Conners broad chest, she felt the half human-half Kryptonians shake as he chuckled. She had gotten him a leather looking jacket that was made of the same materials that Batman's cape was made of, making it bullet and heat proof; something Arley knew Conner would need the jacket to be if he ever wore it into the heat of battle. The jacket stopped at his forearms, it also had a large red Superman 'S' on the back and silver spikes poking up along the shoulders.</p><p>"Yeah," Conner said, as his arms fell from around her, "He did-I love it."</p><p>"Good," Arley grinned as she stepped out of Conners embrace, "I'm glad."</p><p>With that, Conner squeezed Arley's shoulders— and dropped another kiss to the crown of her head —before he stepped past her, towards Kaldur who had started talking to Karen; La'gaan stayed on the outskirts of the forest clearing, watching Kaldur and than Conner. When the scaled Atlanteans eyes met Arleys the tips of his lips turned upwards and La'gaan raised his hand to wave.</p><p>Arley, with a bright smile, waved back.</p><p>Garfield continued to circle overhead; watching for enemies and M'gann who had transformed into Deathstroke laughed at something Artemis said.</p><p>Arley, whose smiled had dimmed timidly, looked at Jaime.</p><p>"I—" the words lodged themselves in her throat, guilt gnawed at her soul. He had lost a month of his life to the Reach because of her. "—I'm so sorry Jaime, if I knew what the Reach was going to do to you—"</p><p>"—What are you talking about?" Jaime blinked. Arley's brows came down together,</p><p>"Nightwing told Kaldur and I you were under Reach control. If I'd known they were going to do that to you when I took you I would have found some way to have helped you to escape." Jaime shifted his weight from foot to foot.</p><p>"But you would have blown your cover," Jaime said, Arley shrugged. She hadn't cared about her cover when M'ganns life had been on the line, it wouldn't have been different when it came to Jaime; she loved Jaime the same way she loved Billy and Conner and Artemis. Like family.</p><p>"Like I care, Jaime if it meant you were free of them I would've been fine with blowing my cover." She would have ended up blowing Kaldur's too but what was a mission when it came to the life of someone she cared about? Green Lanterns might have always finished their missions but Arley couldn't care less about what Lanterns did or didn't do, not if it meant forsaking the people she cared about. After boot camp the first thing Hal made sure Arley knew was at the end of the day she had to be sure in every decision she made; she had to be able to live with herself once the mission was over.</p><p>Jaime's lips twitched up. "You mean that?"</p><p>"Of course I do Jaime," Arley said earnestly. Jaime's mask fell away and the New Mexican teen smiled shyly at Arley, the apples of his cheeks turned a rosy color as he scratched the back of his neck.</p><p>"The Reach didn't actually do anything to me when you handed me over; the team managed to get me out before they could." Arley looked at the boy quizzically.</p><p>"Okay but if they didn't hijack your mind then, then when?"</p><p>"Okay, so I know you tell me to be careful and all but there was this other beetle, a green one, and I thought he could help me get the scarab under control—" Arley's eyes widened when she realized where the insect themed hero was going.</p><p>"—Jaime!" She scolded.</p><p>"Miss M said that we could trust the green beetle and then he said he had complete control over his scarab so I thought it was cool if you know-I let him mess around with mine." Arley shut her eyes and pressed her hands against her face,</p><p>"Holy kriffing fuck kid," Arley breathed. Jaime let out a nervous and Arley sighed, the Lantern opened her arms and stepped forward; "Just-just give me a hug right now okay? We'll talk about your decision making skills later, okay?" With a laugh Jaime nodded and walked into Arley's arms, the young teen slouched down and wrapped his arms around her waist as her arms fell onto his shoulders.</p><p>"Te extrañé hermana," Jaime muttered into Arley's ear; with a wide smile Arley tightened her grip on Jaime.</p><p>"Te extrañe hermano," Arley muttered back.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley— with her mind split and splintered amongst her teammates —watched as M'gann, who was disguised as Deathstroke led the members of the Light into the cavern Savage had picked to hold the summit in. Arley walked stoically beside Kaldur; Mallah walked two steps behind them, a new red beret he'd gotten within the last five years sat perched upon his head.</p><p>Reach soldiers littered the cavern, their hands gripped their weapons tightly while their red capes swayed behind them; the Black Beetle hovered behind the Ambassador and the Scientist.</p><p>Vandal Savage bared his teeth at the aliens in what Arley could only assume was a smile. The Neanderthal waved his hand welcomingly.</p><p>The blood pack Arley had strapped to her chest under her uniform shifted uncomfortably as she clicked her heels together.</p><p>"Ambassador," Savage greeted.</p><p>"Savage," the Ambassador grinned. Black Beetle stepped forward, passed his superior, his shoulders were pushed back and his eyes were narrowed at the Earthlings suspiciously.</p><p>"As head of security for the Reach I must insist," the alien growled as he pointed at Manta, though he glared at Arley, Black Beetles eyes flickered over to M'gann. Arley glared back at the alien. "No masks must be worn at the summit."</p><p>"Simply because you insist is no guarantee," Manta drawled; Ra's Al Ghul turned to the aquatic villain, a humble smile on his lips but a calculating gleam in his eyes.</p><p>"Manta," Ra's Al Ghul said easily, "If you wouldn't mind. After all—" Al Ghul's smile turned almost sinister, "—We are among friends." Manta let out a growl, the man slowly removed his helmet. Arley and M'gann began to do the same; Arley looked at Kaldur from the corner of her eyes.</p><p><em>"I cannot wait to kick his ass,"</em> Arley breathlessly thought. Wally's laughter and Dick's snickering could be heard through the mind link.</p><p><em>"Focus,"</em> Kaldur thought back.</p><p>"Satisfied?" Ra's asked rhetorically; with a growl the Black Beetle turned back and walked behind the Scientist and Ambassador.</p><p>"Excellent," The Ambassador said; the alien grinned, his teeth were all pointed; they gleaned dangerously under the cave's lights. "Now then with these formalities out of the way—"</p><p>"—Let us begin," Savage cut in.</p><p>"But the rest of the Light?" The Ambassador asked as his grin fell flat, "Won't they be joining us?" Ra's shook his head.</p><p>"Our more public members are occupied, conducting damage control to mitigate your recent defeats." The Ambassadors eyes narrowed and the Black Beetle shifted foot from foot; Arley would never push Savage out of the way of an oncoming attack, and she certainly would never save the Brain or Mallah but— should Kaldur be occupied —Arley could see herself saving Manta.</p><p>He was a villain and a killer but he loved his son and Arley— who valued family above all else —could respect him for that, if nothing else.</p><p>It would depend on the day if Arley decided to save Ra's Al Ghul or not; unlike the other members of the Light Arley had never actually met the man before. She had heard about him and his League of Assassins before— she had had previous run-ins with the assassins over the years —but unlike with Luther or Kalrion she'd never actually fought the man. She didn't have any actual grudges against him; sure he was her enemy because of the side he chose to fight on but besides that he was just a guy.</p><p>"In any case," Savage growled, "We are sufficient."</p><p>"Fine," the Ambassador said, "I know you called this summit but the Reach has come with grievances against the Light. Please explain how the young Earth champions were allowed access to the Bialyan scarab temple under your control."</p><p>"If I may respond?" Kaldur wondered aloud as he stepped foward.</p><p>"No you may not," Black Beetle snapped, "Manta keep your welp meat silent."</p><p>"Beetle," Manta snapped back, "Your insolence grows progressively less charming."</p><p>Savage held his hand up and Arley's brow arched.</p><p><em>"I cannot wait to see where this creep goes,"</em> Wonder Girl said through the link and Arley bit the inside of her cheek in order to smother the laugh that was bubbling in her throat.</p><p><em>"Wonder Girl—"</em> Nightwing chided,</p><p>"My friends," Savage started.</p><p>
  <em>"—I know, I know, focus."</em>
</p><p>"I think we can all agree that in recent days no one has done more, sacrificed more for both the Light and the Reach then Kaldur'ahm. That is why he was entrusted with security for this summit, and why he's entitled for a voice here."</p><p>"Of course—" the Ambassador held up a hand to still Black Beetle when the hulking alien stepped forward, "—He may speak."</p><p>"Thank you Ambassador," Kaldur said as he stepped forward, Arley took a step forward after her friend and former team leader before she rooted herself back in place. Kaldur continued forward until he was standing next to Savage.</p><p>"We acknowledge your concerns over the actions of my former team but you must acknowledge that the Light could not have known the significance of the temple, or that Ancient Earth magic could overcome Reach technology to free both Blue and Green Beetles from your thrall." The Ambassador glared at Kaldur; over the aliens shoulder the Scientist glared at the Ambassador. "If the Reach had been more forthcoming about how long ago their scarb was sent to infiltrate Earth with a Beetle warrior the Light might have made the connection to the temple. And certainly would have provided better security for it."</p><p>"I told you I wanted to study about how Blue Beetles scarab had crashed before putting it back on mode. If you had followed my advice we would have known and—" the Scientist words lodged in her throat as the Ambassador swung around to glare at her. The Scientist bowed, "My apologies I spoke out of turn."</p><p>"No my dear," Manta said, "You were quite correct to call your masters tactics into question. The Light has provided everything the Reach required and you aliens—" Manta sneered, "—Have let it all slip away."</p><p>"I don't believe this is a productive direction for our discussion," the Ambassador said.</p><p>"No?" Ra's wondered, "Your public approval ratings are at a record low, as are sales for the Reach drink which you had hoped would enslave the populace."</p><p>The Ambassadors fingers curled around the edge of his cloak and Black Beetles muscles tensioned. Arley put her hand on her chain scythe.</p><p>"You allowed the young heroes you kidnapped to be rescued by the very teenagers whose meta genes you enhanced," Savage pointed out. Arley had been to hundreds of peace summits throughout her tenure as a Lantern; she'd over seen treaties fall apart more times then she could count.</p><p><em>"Perhaps,"</em> Arley thought<em>, "We won't need to take the Reach and Light down. They'll do it themselves for us."</em></p><p>"After allowing their escape as well," Manta added.</p><p><em>"Since when are we that lucky?"</em> Conner replied.</p><p>'Worst of all," Kaldur said, not showing an inkling of what was going on in his head, "Blue Beetle and Green Beetle have slipped from your grasp and fallen into the hands of the enemy. The Justice League."</p><p>"Rest assured," the Ambassador tried to smooth over, "Both Beetles will soon return to the fold. In fact Black Beetle has been summoned to Earth from his post guarding access to the key chamber on the war world—"</p><p>"—So that I may be able to kill both Blue and Green," Black Beetle growled.</p><p><em>"Did he say kill!"</em> Bart asked in the back of Arley's mind.</p><p>"So that their Scarabs may be reset and installed upon new host bodies that will forever be slaves to the Reach," the Scientist explained.</p><p>"So do not question us on that score or any other," the Ambassador declared. Arley glared heatedly at the alien. "The Earth is now the property of the Reach and per our original agreement the Light is merely our favored agents amongst the humans."</p><p>"Show the proper respect or suffer the consequences," Black Beetle snapped.</p><p>"No agreement exists that makes a slave of Black Manta!" Manta snapped, stepping forward, past Kaldur and Savage. Black Beetle stepped forward and Arley moved from her spot; Manta could go toe-to-toe with Aquaman all he liked but the Reach were an entirely other ballgame.</p><p>"No agreement exists that guarantees the life of Black Manta."</p><p>Arley was stopped by Kaldur who gripped her wrist tightly in his hand. Perhaps, Arley's alias, Rosalie Dembitzer was Kaldurs right hand but she wasn't his equal in the Lights eyes. Until Manta was attacked she needed to wait for and order; she needed to be the good little henchwoman she'd been for the past handful of months. To be the good soldier she had been raised to be.</p><p>"Manta guarantees that himself!" A rocket launcher appeared from Manta's shoulder and the chest plate of Black Beetle moved to become a weapon.</p><p>"It seems we have a standoff," Ra's said, trying to regain the footing of the summit.</p><p>"No," Black Beetle said, "We don't." And with that the alien batted Manta away and across the cave. Kaldur released Arleys wrist and moved towards his father and Arley moved towards Black Beetle with the sword that'd been strapped to her back drawn.</p><p>M'gann jumped and joined the fray; the two disguised heroes attacked Black Beetle; M'gann swung Deathstokes bo staff and Arley slashed at the member of the Reach with her sword. Black Beetle fired his chest cannon at M'gann only for the Martian to jump and avoid the blast.</p><p>Arley scrapped the blade of her sword up and against the alien's armor as she jumped; Arley pushed herself off the aliens shoulders like she was using a spring board and M'gann— as Arley landed on her feet —rushed at Black Beetle as the alien turned around.</p><p>M'gann jammed the tip of the bo staff into Black Beetles chest cannon and the Reach's soldiers who had been stationed around the archway the insectoid aliens had come through began to advance on the light, firing at them.</p><p>One of the soldiers fired at Ra's and while Arley couldn't care one way or the other if the man was actually hit, she raised the blade of sword up to block the oncoming blast nonetheless. Arley stumbled back into the chest of the League of Shadows leader.</p><p>"Forgive me Sir," Arley said.</p><p>"No necessary child." Ra's replied; Arley raised her sword, "You have my—" whatever else the man said was too low for Arley to hear as she ran back towards Black Beetle. Four Reach soldiers jumped down in front of the Ambassador and Scientist with their weapons drawn; Arley swapped out her sword for her chain scythe and swung it at the soldiers.</p><p>It cut through one's armor and the chain wrapped around a seconds neck; Arley rushed at the aliens— she pulled the chain of her weapon and the alien fell to their knees as Arley jumped through the air. The two Reach soldiers fired at Arley; her foot landed in the stomach of one— the alien let out a pain filled yelp as Arley landed on top of them —and with the taunt chain of her scythe as it was still wrapped around the second soldiers neck Arley wrapped the metal chains around the arm of the soldier.</p><p>Arley snatched the soldiers arm and bent it, she kicked the back of the aliens leg and when he was kneeling on the cavernous floor below her Arley brought the hilt of her weapon down hard over their head; knocking them out.</p><p>Arley turned to knock the soldier she had landed on out and the one who was clawing at the tightly wrapped chain of her weapon only to freeze when Kaldur's voice rang out.</p><p>"Enough!" Arley turned to see Kaldur between his father and Black Beetle. "We are allies, not enemies! Any conflict between us only benefits our true opponents, the Justice League and their sidekicks."</p><p>Savage stepped forward, his arms tucked neatly behind his back.</p><p>"Kaldur'ahm is quite correct," Savage said. Arley unwrapped the chain of her weapon from around the aliens neck and moved forward, back towards Kaldur and the Light. Her weapon, still in her hands.</p><p>"Agreed," the Ambassador said. "We must not allow petty disagreements to drive a wedge between us. Gratitude Kaldur'ahm."  The Ambassador looked to Black Beetle, "Stand down warrior."</p><p>"Ambassador—"</p><p>"—Stand down!" The Ambassador snapped. With a growl, but his weapons still drawn, the Black Beetle turned away. Kaldur looked towards the Reach.</p><p>"Should we not be concerned that Superman, Batman, the Lanterns and the rest will soon return to Earth and sway public opinion to their side?"</p><p>"Superman and those accused with him on Rimbor will never leave. The attack we forced them to make on that world, plus a few well placed bribes as guaranteed their convictions." Arley blood pumped in her ears as she thought of John. She didn't have her ring and perhaps she couldn't kill Savage but the look on his face when she struck the man over the head with her blade would certainly be priceless.</p><p><em>"Stay focused-Arley—"</em> The grip she had on her weapon tightened.</p><p>"And the Green Lanterns are forbidden by Guardian treaty from ever returning to Earth now that we've gotten UN secretary Tseng to welcome us here." Bile rose in Arley's throat as the Ambassador smirked confidently at Kaldur and the Light; like he had won something over the Green Lantern Corps.</p><p>She knew more ways to kill him then most armies; she had killed more people since she had gotten her ring then she could count. The Ambassador wouldn't be laughing for long, none of the Reach would be.</p><p><em>"—Babe!"</em> Arley heard Wally and Dick speak simultaneously through the mind link, <em>"Stand down."</em> Arley shoved her chain scythe back onto the holder she had at her side.</p><p>"And as for public opinion I wouldn't be concerned," the Ambassador continued. "Though the tide had turned to a certain degree it will be a simple matter to build onto the foundation of our half-truths we have already used to discredit the League in order to discredit them again."</p><p>Ra's spun away from the Ambassador and stormed towards Arley.</p><p><em>Oh Kriff;</em> the young woman thought.</p><p>"Sir?" Arley blinked innocently. They needed the Light and the Reach to confess to more; they needed them to admit to blowing up the Ferris Space shuttle and for Luther and Queen Bee to be named in connection to them before their covers could be blown. Most importantly they needed to know where the key to the Warwold was.</p><p><em>"Kaldur—"</em> Dick thought when Ra's reached up and gripped the glamor charm around Arley's neck.</p><p>With a flash Morningstar— Rosalie Dembitzer —was no longer there but rather Arley Gluck.</p><p>"Lantern," Savage growled.</p><p>"Lantern!" the Scientist squawked, "I thought the Lantern was dead!"</p><p>"So did we all!" Savage growled;</p><p>"But if she is not dead then-you have broken Guardian law, human!" The Scientist shouted almost gleefully. Like she was excited at the prospect of Arley not being dead, and perhaps she was; Arley was— technically —a lone Lantern on a planet under Reach control, the Reach could do whatever they wanted to her in order to send a message to the Guardians and their Corpsmen.</p><p>"Do you see a kriffing ring on my finger you nerf herder!" Arley snapped. "I haven't broken shit motherfucker!" Black Beetle took two steps forward before he stopped; Ra's showed the Light and the Reach her glamor charm.</p><p>"It is a glamor charm, created I'd wager, by Zatanna or Doctor Fate in order to hide the Lanterns' true identity." She could hit him but then Arley supposed she would actually be killed; so instead she glared up at the man, fearlessly.</p><p>"You know their names," Arley sneered, "I'm sure they'll be touched."</p><p>Ra's Al Ghul sneered back at her.</p><p>"Wait," the Ambassador said, "I thought Kaldur'ahm killed the Lantern." The alien's brows furrowed together, "But if she lives and in disguise as his lieutenant, than that means—"</p><p>"—That means Aqualad duped them all. Including his own father," Black Beetle said tauntingly.</p><p>Arley and the others in the cave turned to look at Manta; the man was a killer and a thief who wanted to help aliens enslave the human race and yet the crushed expression on his face made Arley's stomach clench. If he weren't a deplorable human being, and if he hadn't been trying to sell his own species out to the Reach Arley might have felt sorry for the man.</p><p>"You're right," the Ambassador said to Black Beetle, "Kill them both." The alien warriors' arms changed into two pointed swords. Arley's hand flew to her sword. Manta ran in front of Kaldur,</p><p>"No!" The man objected, "You will not kill my son!"</p><p><em>"M'gann,"</em> Dick said through the mind link, <em>"Now."</em></p><p>"He's right," M'gann said in Deathstroke's voice. She fired the gun and the rubber bullets that Dick had loaded into the guns chambers hit Kaldur in the chest. M'gann then— as Kaldur fell into his fathers arms —turned and fired at Arley; Arley could feel the blood pack that'd been strapped to her chest earlier that day explode. "The Light takes care of their own."</p><p>Arley hit the floor with wide, unblinking eyes; she heard Manta call Kaldur's name but not what Kaldur said in response.</p><p>A second later a large holographic version of both Kaldur and Arley appeared in the middle of the room; Kaldur spoke cooly to the villains in the cave. "If you are watching this then your summit is truly over. The Light and the Reach deserve each other as both sides played at being partners. But the Reach believes the Light to be their naive tools of conquest when in fact the Light has been manipulating the Reach from day one."</p><p>"Shut this off!" Savage demanded.</p><p>"How?" M'gann replied. A screen appeared between the holographic image of Kaldur and Arleys heads. It showed a picture of the Rimborian wanted posters for the six Leaguers Savage had sent across the galaxy five years ago.</p><p>"It was the Light that brought Earth to the Reach's attention by sending the Justice League to Rimbor; the League I might add, that the Light had temporarily enslaved with the use of mind control. Nonetheless, the Light set their trap and the Reach, like the predictable sack of bantha crap they are, didn't bother to think twice before they snapped at the bait; not only breaking Guardian Law by invading Earth but also by fulfilling the Lights desire to thrust the world into the galactic spotlight. Part of their perverse survival of the fittest scheme for the planet which they believe will transform the Earth and the Light into the eventual rulers of the Milky Way," Arley said.</p><p>The image on the screen changed; this one showed Manta and the Ambassador shaking hands.</p><p>"And though the Light made a deal to help the Reach take Earth they have also sabotaged the Reach's efforts," Arley added. The faces of the four teens whose meta genes the Reach had activated appeared on the screen, "They kept the enhanced meta-teens out of the Reach's hands." An image of the Reach's drink popped up.</p><p>"They added a neutralizing agent to the Reach's drink so that Earth's population would not become surveille. They turned public opinion against the Reach and they intentionally allowed the team access to the Scarab temple to cleanse Blue and Green Beetle. So you see, any agenda either side imagined they shared was nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion. I trust I have shattered that illusion as well as whatever remains of this sorry alliance," Kaldur finished. "Good night."</p><p>And then the images of Kaldur and Arley faded.</p><p>"Kaldur-Kaldur," Manta whispered to Kaldur, "What have you done?"</p><p>"He and that Lantern—" Savage spat, "Have in death done more to damage my plans then any other living creatures have wrought in fifty thousand years. I'd be almost impressed if I wasn't so—" Savage was cut off by the Ambassadors guttural scream.</p><p>"You Earthlings are a pestilence and a plague!" The Ambassador shouted, "You dare sabotage us? Dare Betray us! Have you forgotten who controls the War World? The Light is fortunate we do not carve up your planet as we speak."</p><p>Savage approached the Ambassador; "That would indeed impress as I have the War Worlds Crystal key."</p><p><em>"Bingo,"</em> Artemis thought.<em> "There we go."</em></p><p>"And that was the most important thing we needed to know," Arley said as she got up; heads snapped to her and Kaldur stood from his father's arms. <em>"It's a go time people,"</em> Arley thought.</p><p><em>"Finally!"</em> Bart thought back excitedly.</p><p>"Kaldur, you're—"</p><p>"—Alive, yes," Kaldur said to his father.</p><p>"Impossible," Savage gasped, "Deathstroke killed you both!"</p><p>"Just for a little while," M'gann said, her eyes glowing green as she levitated Deathstroke's sword so that the sword's tip was perched against the Neanderthals throat, "After all I wouldn't want to do any permanent danger to my best friends." And with that she changed; no longer was Deathstoke standing there but rather the M'gann Arley knew and loved. "Not when a little misdirection and Hollywood special effects will do instead."</p><p>"For we value our true friends and unlike you," Kaldur said to the Light, "We are not short on them." Mal in the Guardian uniform, Superboy and Bumblebee appeared in the archway the reach had come from and the Batgirl and Nightwing— and Wally —appeared in the one the Light had come from.</p><p>"Hey there Vandy!" Wally said loudly with a sharp and dangerous looking grin on his face, "You miss me?"</p><p>"Well played. Well planned. But the Light always has contingencies," Savage said. The Brain started to glow and the archways the team had just come through closed; the very top of the cave opened up to reveal the glowing moon and eerily glowing War World.</p><p>League of Shadow members dropped into the cave; several surrounded Wally, Batgirl and Nightwing and several surrounded Superboy, Mal and Bumblebee. More and more dropped into the cave until Kaldur and Miss Martian were all also surrounded; a thin line of masked Shadows separated Arley from the others.</p><p>Arley's hand gripped the hilt of her sword.</p><p>"I've had my fill of your interruptions. Do not expect to survive." Savage told the team; "Kill them all," he told the Shadows, "Superboy may present a problem but we'll deal with him when the other children lie bleeding on the ground."</p><p>"You're still calling us kids, huh?" Arley arched a brow; she glared at the man from her spot several feet away, over the shoulder of a Shadow and past another. She didn't have her ring but she'd have his head all the same.</p><p>"No wonder our success is mount," Kaldur smirked. "You constantly underestimate us." Blue Beetle tore off his mask and the Shadows uniform he'd stolen shredded as he took to the sky; Jaime didn't bother to wait for an order before he aimed and ford his sonic canons at the Reach soldiers that stood behind Savage.</p><p>Lagoon Boy and Beast Boy, both of whom had also been disguised attacked three Shadows that had been perched on the ledge with them. Beast Boy went after Mallah. Arley lunged; with her sword drawn Arley jumped at the closest Shadow separating her from Savage, the Shadow closest to her parried her attack and pushed her off— Arley stumbled back two steps —before he lunged at her. Arley and the Shadows swords spun before she bent her wrist and threw her weight forward, bodyslaming the Shadow into another.</p><p>Arley was tiny— five foot three and one hundred and thirty pounds —but she was also all muscle and all she needed was the two Shadows stunned for a fraction of a second so that her blade could cut through the air, and them.</p><p>The two masked Shadows, bloody, dropped and Arley— as smoke began to fill the cave —started back towards where she knew Vandal Savage was, only to be tackled as she started to approach her alien friend and the immortal caveman.</p><p>Arley saw a blade; it happened too fast. She raised her own sword with one hand and blocked the Shadows blade with her armored forearm; Arley felt the blade pierce her armor and the skin of her arm, she would have yelled if not for the the sickening squish that sounded when Arley stabbed the blade of her own weapon into the side of the Shadows head. Though the squish was nothing like the nightmare inducing gurgling sound that the Shadow let out as he dropped to his side.</p><p><em>Focus, focus, focus. </em>Arley told herself, <em>Focus.</em></p><p>She could think later, she could let her hands shake and her soul ache over her choices after she and the others had made it out alive.</p><p>When Arley looked up towards where she knew Savage was— with blood running down her arm —Arley saw a large fiery snake holding Miss Martian in its clutches and Savage portaling away with Klarion.</p><p>"Cowardly meet!" The Black Beetle yelled at the vanished Savage and Klarion.</p><p>"You're kriffing kidding me!" Arley shouted over the alien as she got to her feet. Ra's Al Ghul looked around him a few feet from Arley, his hands were out in front of him.</p><p>"Savage had the right idea!" Ra's shouted, "This battle is pointless, do not resist. The heroes," he said sarcastically, "Have no jurisdiction here."</p><p>Superboy jumped down from where he had been and raised his arm to attack Black Beetle— the alien Warrior glared at Ra's —only for the alien to easily bat him away. Arley turned her weapons blade and slashed at a Shadow who had run up to attack her; the man dropped to his knees— his chest sticky with blood —and Arley kicked him back.</p><p>"Meaning every member of the Light is a coward," Black Beetle snapped. With a pointed arm the alien stepped forward and Ran Ra's through; the man's back arched as he was lifted off the ground. "But such is the fate of all meat."</p><p>"Master!" Black Beetle retracted his arm and Ra's Al Ghul stayed standing for a moment; he swayed on his feet. Arley's glamour charm clattered to the cavernous flooring.</p><p>Arley went to take a step forward— she didn't need her ring to take on a member of the Reach; with or without it she had a lifetime of training under her belt —only to be thrown to side as the protection Ra's Al Ghul had brought rushed forward to catch the dead man's body before it hit the ground.</p><p>From her spot on the floor Arley spotted Artemis high above the fighting across the cave firing arrow after arrow into the mess around them; Shadows with arrows in their knees and thigh dropped; others who'd been shot with trick arrows stood frozen in foam.</p><p>"I have you Master, Ubu will keep you safe." The bald man took a grappling hook from the pocket of his pants and aimed it upwards; Arley lunged at the man from her crouched spot on the floor, intent on stopping him from getting away, only for the sole of his book to make contact with her chest. Arley flew back and into the Arms of a speeding Wally West; quickly Ubu and the body of Ra's Al Ghul disappeared into the Isla Santa Prisca jungle.</p><p>Wally came to a skidding stop; Arley spun out of her boyfriend's arms and their backs pressed against one another.</p><p>"Have I ever told you how hot you are when you're kicking ass?" Wally asked.</p><p>Arley snorted.</p><p>"More than once Handsome, though I'd hold off on the compliments until after we finish fighting-you know me, I just can't control myself around you," Arley purred over her shoulder. With a laugh Wally and Arley pushed off from one another.</p><p>Arley swung her blade up at the first Shadow she attacked, the Shadow he had run at brought their sword down and they put their foot on the back of the blades. Arley, just as Kilowog had shown her at eight years old, brought her head forward and hit the assassins.</p><p>The shadow stumbled back— Arley picked up their weapon before it could clatter to the rocky ground —and with the Shadows own sword Arley ran them through; with hers she blocked an oncoming attack. Arley brought the heavy heel of her foot down onto the Shadows toes and then her knee up into their groan, Arley brought her left fist up and against the side of the Shadows head.</p><p>The assassin dropped and Arley turned only to see the several Shadows Wally had taken out unconscious and sprawled out on the cave flooring. With a proud smile on her face Arley spotted both Wally and Impulse circling the Brain; Beast Boy could still be heard fighting Mallah.</p><p>Arley rushed towards the Black Beetle; Wonder Girl and Robin danced around the aliens' sonic canon, avoiding blasts every time they got to close.</p><p>Arley, with her blade drawn low, sidestepped the sonic blast the member of the Reach.</p><p>"If I were you Lantern," the Black Beetle growled, "I would stand down. I have killed more than one of your kind-without your ring you would not even be a challenge."</p><p>"Think so huh?" Arley sheathed her weapon and pulled out her chain scythe, "Then come on, try me. Just know I've been squashing bugs since I could walk." With a growl the Black Beetle raised it's sonic cannon and Arley threw the blade of her scythe. Black Beetle bent backwards to avoid the strike.</p><p>"Wonder Girl!" Wonder Girl threw her lasso and it wound around Black Beetles canon; Cassie pulled with all the strength in her body and Black Beetle stumbled forward only to dig his heels into the dirt and pull back.</p><p>Arley threw the blade of her weapon out again, this time— because the alien moved and threw his arm up in front of his neck —the weapon wrapped tightly around the triceps of Black Beetle's untransformed arm.</p><p>"Warrior!" The Ambassador called, "Warrior!"</p><p>With a growl Black Beetle gripped the chain of Arley's weapon and the taut rope of Cassie's lasso his untransformed arm and jerked left; both females went flying into Robin, who with a groan laid limply underneath them.</p><p>Arley rolled off the younger boy and Cassie— who did the same —hovered for a second, her hands bounced anxiously as she peered down at him; "Please be okay, please be okay!"</p><p>With a smile Arley looked at the blonde; Arley set a hand on the younger girls shoulder.</p><p>"He's going to be fine Wonder Girl-we just landed on him, I'm sure with Killer Croc running around he's been through worse." Arley looked down at Robin and placed a hand against the side of his face. "Robin, Rob? Baby Bird?"</p><p>"Don't care if you're alive," Robin grumbled with his eyes still squeezed shut, "Don't call me that." With a chuckle Arley looked at Cassie,</p><p>"I told you he'll be fine, he's just being a baby." Robin let out a groan, slowly, as the fighting died down, Wonder Girl and Arley helped Robin to his feet, his arm was thrown over the blonde shoulders while his hand pressed itself gently against his ribs.</p><p>"Babe!"</p><p>Arley didn't hesitate in leaving Tim and Cassie's sides; Arley, when she reached Wally, threw her arms around his neck and pulled the speedster into a kiss. Mal let out a hoot, Dick a holler, as Wally pressed Arley closer to him; his fingers were splayed out on her back. When they pulled away a moment Later Wally rested his forehead against Arley's.</p><p>"You really can't control yourself around me, can you babe?"</p><p>With a laugh and a tightening of her arms, one of which had become soaked with her own blood, Arley seemed to pull herself closer to the speedster, "No, but come on Handsome, it's not like you really want me to, do you?" Slowly the two pulled away from one another; Wally— pale and horrified —looked down at Arley's injured and bloody arm and cradled it gently in his hands.</p><p>"What happened-are you okay?" Wally frowned, "What am I asking of course you're not." Arley placed her non-injured hand against Wally's chest, forcing the speedster to look at her.</p><p>"I will be-it's not that bad, Wally we won and we're both alive—"</p><p>"—But you're hurt."</p><p>"No more than I usually am, it's a cut. A few stitches from Doc Thompkins and I'll be fine-breath, okay? For me?" Wally did, he sucked in a deep breath and Arley rocked forward, she pressed her lips against his before pulling away.</p><p>Something, as they pulled away, caught Wally's eye and with a gentle nudge to her unharmed side, Wally jerked his head in Kaldur and Dicks directions. Threading their fingers together the pair walked over. Arley pressed her injured arm against her chest as they walked.</p><p>Slowly Arley's injured arm began to throb; a crushing weight began to settle on Arley's shoulders as the adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins began to fade.</p><p>"I had hoped to end this tonight," Kaldur said, "But Savage escaped with Klarion, as did Black Beetle with the Reach's head scientist. Luthor and Queen Bee never showed and even Ra's will no doubt—"</p><p>"—Are you kidding me?" Dick cut him off, he put a hand on Kaldur's shoulder, "Kaldur you won!"</p><p>"Won? Dude you triumphed!" Arley ignored the pain radiating from her arm and instead looked proudly at Kaldur,</p><p>"Kal we not only broke up the Light and Reach's alliance but crippled the Reach and broke the Light; and since you got them to spill everything on the record we can get the Reach kicked off the planet and clear the League on Rimbor and across the galaxy. Besides on top of that I can use this recording on Oa, the Reach won't be getting away Scott-free."</p><p>Arley jolted forward just as soon as she was finished talking; Garfield's arms were wrapped around her middle and Arley turned and beamed at the young teen; her hand threaded through the changeling's green hair,</p><p>"What's this for?"</p><p>"I'm just so happy you're alive!" Garfield's arms fell from around her waist as he turned to Kaldur, "And that Aqualad's not a traitor!" The young boy's smile fell flat as he turned to Dick, his grin finger pointed and outstretched, "No more faking anyone's deaths for at least a year, okay!"</p><p>"Yeah seconded," Wally scoffed, his hand pressed against the space between Arley's shoulder blades. Kaldur sighed,</p><p>"Agreed." Dick leaned into Kaldurs side,</p><p>"Kaldur this has been a good night-maybe the best we've had since the four of us took off four Cadmus over five years ago."</p><p>"Yeah," Wally said as he trudged through the water towards Kaldur; Arley followed behind, the two of them paused at Kaldur's side. "Enjoy the moment."</p><p>"Nortz knows we've earned it."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley, with her injured arm wrapped tightly under a mountain of gauze, kneeled in the middle of her and Wally's shared bed; Bodie laid asleep, stretched out at the foot of the mattress with his tongue lolled out to the side and his belly to the air. Wally kneeled half on the mattress, her Corps ring between his fingers.</p><p>The only lights lit in the room were the bedside lamps; Wally's face glowed warm under the light, his eyes sparkled.</p><p>Across the room, on the dresser, was her Lantern battery. Dick— after the team had returned to the Watchtower —had promised to personally show the UN Secretary General the footage from the Isla Santa Prisca cave as soon as humanly possible so that by the time morning came the Reach's invitation to Earth would have been rescinded.</p><p>"I Promise," Wally breathed into Arley's ear, "The next ring I give you will definitely have more bling." Her hand was cradled in his as he slowly slipped her ring back onto the index finger on her right hand.</p><p>"Swear?" Arley teased, her lips hovering over his.</p><p>"Babe," Wally said in a mock tone of hurt, "Since when do I lie to you?" Never; Arley could find out the Guardians had been lying to her since day one, she could find out that the League and rest of her friends— her family —had been telling her half truths and bold faced lies since the beginning and she would never question anything that came out of Wally's mouth because Wally West didn't lie, not to her.</p><p>He had told her that, back when they'd been kids and he swore never to leave her behind that he wasn't lying because he'd never lie, not to her.</p><p>"I love you," Arley hummed. Wally pressed his lips gently against Arleys,</p><p>"I love you more Glowstick."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter Twelve — Invasion</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>"Know that my love would burn with me; we'll live eternally."</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Dick had promised to go with Captain Atom and personally show the United Nations Secretary General Tseng the video footage from the Light and the Reach's Summit and he had sworn to call her the minute the United Nations had come to a decision on whether or not they would rescinded their invitation to the Reach.</p><p>So hours later after having gotten back from the Isla Santa Prisca cave, when Arley— who had been sitting on the couch with her back to Wally's chest and her legs entangled with his, telling both him and Artemis about the time she had spent with Kaldur undercover —heard the speedsters ringtone start to blast from Wally's phone, she didn't hesitate in scooping it up off the coffee table.</p><p>Her heart stilling in her chest as she pressed the device to her phone.</p><p>"It's Arley."</p><p>Artemis and Wally leaned in closer to Arley so that they too could hear what Dick was saying on the other end of the line; Wally's grip around Arley's middle tightened anxiously.</p><p>"Hey," Dick greeted, Arley could hear the masked heroes smile in his voice, "Tseng called an emergency meeting as soon as Cap and I finished showing him the video; the UN voted unanimously, they've rescinded the Reach's invitation." Arley melted against Wally, she let out a loud breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding; Artemis whopped loudly as Wally pressed a hard kiss to the top of Arley's head. Over Arleys head he and Artemis high-fived. "Tseng and Atom are going to announce it publicly as soon as they can but I promised to let you know when I did."</p><p><em>Aniell;</em> Arley's watery eyes flickered to the dead power ring that was placed on her hand, emotion balled up in Arley's throat as she looked at the hand she's placed against her knee, at the green ring she'd been chosen to wield thirteen years ago.</p><p>"Thank you," Arley said thickly.</p><p>"It's nothing," Dick said, Arley could almost see the younger hero shrugging on the other side of the call, "It's good to have you back though Lantern."</p><p>Arley sucked in a shaky breath at the name; <em>Lantern</em>, she'd missed being called that, she missed the Corps and her family and she missed Aniell.</p><p>"See you soon Wing," Arley said.</p><p>"You too GL." Arley placed the phone back on the coffee table and turned to a grinning Wally West; happy tears dotted the corners of her eyes. Her knees folded underneath herself and Wally's hands hung off her hips, his thumbs rubbed circles under the tanktop she'd been wearing.</p><p>"The UN's kicking them off world," Arley grinned.</p><p>"I heard," Wally beamed.</p><p>"I get to be a Lantern again," Arley said, the conversation from their night in the seedy National Nine motel room played through Arley's mind, "I-are you disappointed?"</p><p>Wally's brows knitted together; Artemis disappeared into Arley and Wally's bedroom.</p><p>"Babe? You're kidding right?" She wasn't because as much as she loved the Corps and as much as she loved her family and missed Aniell, part of Arley— a small, minuscule part of herself —was disappointed she'd never get that easy life with Wally they'd talked about because she knew that the only way she'd ever give up the life would be if she was forced to; forced to pick between the Corps and Wally.</p><p>Arley shrugged.</p><p>"I just-what we talked about in the motel. I don't know," Arley trailed off, she wasn't quite sure how to put what she'd felt into words, and yet that didn't seem to have mattered because Wally's crooked index finger tapped against the underside of Arley's chin as her eyes flickered down; her eyes flew back up as Artemis emerged from their bedroom with her Lantern battery in her hands.</p><p>"Just cause you still get to be a Lantern doesn't mean I don't plan on marrying you Glowstick-it just means I'll have to plan around the end of the universe, doesn't it?" With a laugh, as Artemis set the battery onto the coffee table next to Wally's phone, Arley pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of Wally's nose.</p><p>"Love you," Arley whispered; Artemis muttered something about nerdy rabbits— something she usually called Arley and Wally in a teasing manner over the years —and Wally pressed a chaste kiss of his own against Arley's lips.</p><p>"Love you more."</p><p>With a grin Arley turned, she looked at the large green lantern shaped battery; thrill ran up her spine as she raised her hand, her fingers curled into a fist as she breathed. Before the importance of team work and battle tactics are drilled into them or they're made to memorize the Book of Oa, the oath's the first thing they're taught in boot camp.</p><p>"In brightest day, in darkest night, no evil shall escape my sight—" the lantern battery started to glow green; with every word it grew brighter, "—Let those who workshops evil's might beware my power, Green Lanterns light!"</p><p>The green light coming from the lantern battery stretched out and almost magically in a way, began to swirl up and around Arley's arm. Her uniform appeared over her clothes in the wake of the swirling light and soon enough Arley was in the standard Green Lantern uniform; her mask was over her eyes and the corps symbol was proudly displayed on her chest.</p><p>Artemis and Wally looked at Arley in somewhat awe, Aniells voice floated through Arley's head; <em>I told you I'd see you on the other side.</em></p><p>Arley burst into happy tears at the sound of her ring's voice, <em>I missed you.</em> Artemis and Wally jumped at the Lantern's tears, Wally pressed a hand against Arley's back only for her to wave him off. She was fine— happy and elated —just overwhelmed by her emotions.</p><p>She'd forgotten the warmth she'd feel when Aniell spoke, the warmth that'd flood her mind as her ring reached out to her.</p><p><em>And I missed you,</em> Aniell answered back softly.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Hal, Guy, Kilowog and the Guardians glowed green as their holographic image was projected from Arley's ring; Kyle Rayner, Arley's temporary replacement, stood in the background with his arms crossed behind his back. Ganthet, one of the Guardians, who were leaving Oa due to the Reach's involvement and coming to oversee the Reach's apprehension, floated behind Kyle.</p><p>"—You're okay though?" Hal asked thickly; though the Guardians had apparently told them all of Arley's mission after the United Nations had invited the Reach to the planet and they'd all been banished to Oa from Earth, Guy had still read her the riot act for going behind their backs and playing dead.</p><p>"Yeah," Arley nodded, "I'm fine, Kaldur was watching my back."</p><p>Wally in his Kid Flash uniform sat next to her as they waited for Artemis to get ready; Dick had called them— after Cat Grant and the World News Station aired Captain Atom and General Secretary Tseng's conference telling the world about the Reach and their plan to enslave the human population —to let them know that the League had given the job of capturing the Scientist and Black Beetle to the team.</p><p>"Good," Hal said, the pilot swiped the back of his hand across his eyes, "That's good, you'll tell us more-everything," Hal corrected, "After we get these guys into Corps custody okay?"</p><p>"Of course," Arley promised. Arley's eyes flickered to Artemis as the archer, suited up and with a full quiver strapped to her back stepped out of her room; she then looked back down at the small holographic images her ring was displaying. "I've got to go, Arty's ready to head out."</p><p>"Alright," Hal nodded, "We'll be in the sector soon so do me a favor kid," Hal said sternly, "Don't die on me again okay? I could barely handle burying you once."</p><p>Arley's heart clenched; though the Guardians had told Hal and the others that she wasn't dead once they had been kicked off of Earth due to the Reach, Hal and Guy and the other Lanterns Arley had grown up calling family had— even if it'd only been for a week or so —thought she'd died. When Kilowog, Hal and Guy had buried an empty casket they'd both done so thinking that she was in there; that her corpse was in the casket.</p><p>"Yes sir," Arley promised. Hal grinned.</p><p>"Good."</p><p>"And don't kick too much ass by yourself Nightlight," Guy added on with a smirk, "Remember to save some for us."</p><p>"Hurry up and don't leave me here to kick the Reach's ass by myself then old man," Arley teased.</p><p>"Old man!" Guy squawked, he and Hal were thirty eight, almost thirty-nine, not old in all actuality but older than Arley nonetheless. Loudly Arley laughed, she missed them, Nortz she had missed them.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Hours later in the Watchtowers War Room, as Arley and the rest of the team prepared to storm the main Reach ship that was anchored outside of the United Nations, M'gann and Conner were nowhere to be found; Dick and Captain Atom had sent them— and Adam Strange —to Rann so that could zeta to Rimbor from there with the evidence they had obtained from the Light and Reach's Summit.</p><p>Arley in her standard Green Lantern uniform stood with both Beetles Green and Blue; while the rest of the team would be keeping the Reach's forces busy Arley and both Beetles were tasked with finding both Black Beetle and the Scientist and bringing them into custody as the Ambassador was already in cuffs in the Watchtowers holding cells, awaiting the rest of the Corps arrival.</p><p>Slowly the team broke off into smaller teams and Arley, with her arm pressed against Jaimes watched as Wally whispered something to Nightwing; the masked hero peaked over his shoulder at Arley— who grinned and waved at one of her oldest friends, Dick returned the gesture —and then looked back at Wally.</p><p>The former Robin whispered something back to the speedster and Wally nodded, a confident smile played on his lips. As Arley turned to walk out of the room caught sight of Dick clapping Wally on the shoulder.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley followed as Green Beetle led her and Blue Beetle to the ship's control room; as the three of them crept through the ship's corridors Arley stood between him and Jaime just in case the Martian double crossed them. She had let the Reach hurt Jaime once, she wouldn't allow them to hurt him again.</p><p>Arley and both Green and Blue Beetles crept into the control room; Arley saw dozens of other members of the Reach manning their stations around the control room but both the Scientist and Black Beetle standing before a large screen. Several different surveillance camera feeds played on the screen in front of both members of the Reach, all the videos were of the team fighting against the alien insectoids.</p><p>"—Bassador tied my hands," Black Beetle growled to the Scientist as his hands weaponized into swords, "But the Ambassador is gone. Now all the hero meat will die."</p><p>"You know us hero meat have a saying," Arley spoke out; both the Scientist and Black Beetle spun, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch-in other words, until you're standing over our cold dead bodies, slow your kriffing roll."</p><p>Blue Beetle raised his arms and fired two large staples at the Scientist. The alien flew back until she hit the windshield of the ship; the glass splintered under the staples but didn't crumble leaving the Scientist to struggle midair. Both Green and Blue Beetles shot into the air, Blue went left and Green went right and Arley with a glowing green sword she had constructed from her ring glared at the Black Beetle.</p><p>"If I could keep you on your toes without my ring, I wonder how fast I'll be able to take you down with it."</p><p>Black Beetle didn't respond, the alien simply growled at Arley before he ran at her, Arley flew at the alien and with two loud war cries, the pair clashed; their blades bounced off one another. Arley drove Black Beetle back two steps before she was blasted back by the aliens' sonic chest canon.</p><p>The Lantern hit the wall with a crash' the metal crumpled under her and Black Beetle turned to Green and Blue Beetles. Arley fell to the ground with a thud; as she regained her bearings she watched as both Blue and Green Beetles approached Black Beetle.</p><p>"As for you brothers, I tried to keep you on mode or at least salvage your scarabs but clearly all four of you are corrupt beyond redemption."</p><p>"It is you who are corrupt!" Green Beetle declared, their eyes glowing red. Black Beetle, with his weaponized arm outstretched, leap at Green Beetle, only for the Martian to throw the member of the Reach onto the ground with his telekinetic powers. Black Beetle lifted into the air and Green Beetle's suit connected itself to Black Beetle. "But I will reset your scarab and set you free."</p><p>The arms of Green Beetles suit— the ones that had attached themselves to Black Beetle —began to glow a bright and luminescent green and for a moment Black Beetles scarab did to; built only for a moment. Black Beetles scarab changed purple; Arley saw the purple flooded up the arms of Green Beetles suit— much like the green that'd come from his had done to Black Beetles —only to then watch with wide and horrified eyes as the Martians scarb ashen and crumble with a scream.</p><p>B'arzz O'oomm, with a scream of his own, fell back onto the floor, his arms outstretched at his sides and his eyes open and unblinking, his chest though moving up and down.</p><p>"No!" Blue Beetle shouted.</p><p>"I hate Martians," Black Beetle sneered as he raised his sharpened arm. "Parasites, the lot of your meat."</p><p>Arley shot forward and threw herself on top of the Martian, her ring hand outstretched and a dome-like shield quickly formed protectively over herself and the fallen Martian before Black Beetle could bring their arm down upon them. With a sneer Black Beetles arm transformed into a plasma cannon; the alien fired at Arley's shield only for Blue Beetle, who had launched himself at the hulking alien, to get between them. Blue Beetle was blown black across the room with a yelp.</p><p>"Jaime!" Arley shouted; the dome dropped and Arley fired her ring at Black Beetle only for the alien to be blown black a few steps, not several feet. Black Beetle whipped the barrel of his plasma cannon at Arley, the edge of the weapon caught Arley right above her temple, sending the Lantern once more into one of the walls of the ship's room.</p><p>Arley felt blood drip down the side of her head as she sat up; the room violently spun as she tried to push herself back up. <em>Stay down,</em> Aniell hissed, <em>You can't be reckless.</em></p><p>"You!" Black Beetle snapped at Blue Beetle, "You were the cause of this debacle! It is long past time your scarab was destroyed and your life ended."</p><p>Like Green Beetle had done, glowing purple arms emerged from Black Beetles scarab and attached themselves to Jaimes.  Jaime let out an agonizing scream as he was lifted into the air; his scarab glowing purple. Despite seeing three Black Beetles standing several feet away from her Arley fired; she missed and hit the wall behind him.</p><p><em>I need to help Jaime</em>, Arley hissed to Aniell. Too slowly for her liking the room stopped spinning and Arley found herself on her knees, hyper aware of the bloody hair that matted her hairline. Black Beetle brought Jaime closer to himself and Arley slowly clamored to her feet.</p><p><em>You need to catch your breath and heal,</em> Aniell said, <em>Please.</em> Aniell practically begged, <em>You need to be careful.</em></p><p>She needed to save Jaime. Just as Arley raised her ring to fire at Black Beetle blue— bright glowing blue —flooded over the purple; Black Beetle looked horrified, Jaime looked smug. Two arms grew from Jaimes suit and attached themselves to Black Beetle; more blue began to bleed into the aliens' armor and just as the blue faded the aliens' scarab crumbled.</p><p>The bald, green member of the Reach dropped to their knees unmovingly; with a proud smile Arley stepped forward, Jaime however looked at the aliens crumbled body with wide and horrified eyes. Quickly Arley's smile fell, a crease formed between her brows.</p><p>"Jaime? What's wrong we won?" Jaime's head snapped in Arley's direction.</p><p>"No," Jaime denied, "We didn't, we lost. When my scarab tapped into Blacks we learned he already set a plan in motion to erase all evidence of the Reach's attempt to conquer us by destroying the Earth." Ice flooded Arley's veins. Arley looked at Jaime, and then the fallen Reach warrior and raised her hand to her ear,</p><p>"Lantern to Nightwing."</p><p>"Nightwing to Lantern, what's wrong?" Nightwing said through the com-link, Arley could see the masked hero on the video feed, back to back with Batgirl and Robin as they all finished fighting a small squadron of Reach Soldiers.</p><p>"Black Beetle and the Scientist are in custody but Green is down and we have a problem here-the Reach has sent a doomsday plan in motion."</p><p>"What?" Nightwing asked sharply over the com-link.</p><p>"Doomsday, as in the end of the world!" Beast Boy said. Arley ignored the young hero and instead used a construct from her ring to pick up both the fallen Beetles and pluck the Scientist who'd given up struggling against her bonds from against the ship's windshield.</p><p>"Blue has all the information; we have Black Beetle and the Scientist in custody. Rendezvous at the Watchtower ASAP," Arley said, she shared a dark look with Jaime. "We don't have much time."</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>It looked like— at least from the Watchtower —as if the world had been swallowed whole by a dark and angry looking cloud. Arley, Jaime, Dick, Kaldur and Captain Atom were on the Watchtower; the members of the Reach were in the holding cells with inhibitor collars around their neck and the rest of the League were spread around the world, doing what they could to save people from the Reach caused natural disasters ravaging the planet.</p><p>Different news feeds played on the computer screen in the War Rom.</p><p>"Natural disasters have escalated and the League is spread thin saving lives across the globe."</p><p>"It's Black Beetles Magnetic Field Disrupters," Blue said softly as he watched Doctor Fate stop a tsunami from destroying a small Japanese city and Green Arrow and Black Canary usher a load of children off the bridge their school bus had been on. "The Reach seeded them at multiple locations across the Earth. They're causing a deterioration of the Earth's magnetic field which in turn is causing these not so natural disasters."</p><p>"What can we do to stop them?" Dick asked the younger teen, Jaime shrugged.</p><p>"Don't know-Black didn't, as far as I can tell these things don't have failsafe's," Jaime said, "I mean, I can locate all the MFD's but each one is defended by Beetle-tech drones that are programmed to run interference until the MFD can build up enough speed to go chrysalis and end the world but that's about it, these were meant to be an endgame."</p><p>There was a video of an Italian street, body bags littered the sidewalk as tired and frighten first responders lined them up; it was easier to do that then waste the life saving resources transporting dead bodies to the hospital and morgue. Several of the body bags that had been lined up on the sidewalk were child sized.</p><p>Arley's heart clenched.</p><p>"Perhaps but I bet the Scientist who designed them knows how to stop them, failsafe or not," Arley said darkly, she looked at Kaldur whose lips were thinned out and pressed together, Kaldur's chin jerked up and Arley stood from her chair, her arms crossed over her chest. Before either of them were heroes they were soldiers; good soldiers who did what they needed too. "Give me twenty minutes—"</p><p>"—Incase you forgot due to your time undercover," Captain Atom snapped, "We don't torture our prisoners here."</p><p>Arley scoffed at the man;<em> Hypocrite,</em> she thought, she could name several different Leaguers— ranging from Batman to Aquaman —who had used some sort of torture, either psychological or physical, over the years in the name of justice. Besides, before Captain Atom was a hero he was a member of the United States government.</p><p>"And in case you forgot Cap, the Reach aren't your prisoners anymore, you signed them over to me and the Corps."</p><p>"Not so you could torture them!" Captain Atom got to his feet, Jaimes fingers curled around the edge of the table and Kaldur looked blankly at Captain Atom; Dick looked anywhere but Arley or the leader of the Justice League.</p><p>"I'm sorry am I being lectured by a guy who goes out drinking with soldiers that used to work at places like Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, torture capitals of the world?" Arley spit rhetorically, "We're on a time crunch here-lives are at stake! The whole world is!"</p><p>"But that doesn't give you the right to torture someone!"</p><p>"Incoming message from United Nations Secretary General Tseng Dangun," the computer's voice spoke before Arley could snap anything back at him. Arley, Captain Atom, Jaime, Kaldur and Dick turned to the computer screen only to be greeted by Lex Luthers scowling face. The General Secretary stood in the background.</p><p>"Luther!" Atom snapped; Arley glared at the man, "What are you—"</p><p>"—Secretary Tseng was kind enough to let me borrow his frequency as I have a possible solution to our mutual problem," the villainous billion heir said.</p><p>"A problem that you and the Light went out of your way to create-you brought the Reach to Earth!" Arley hissed. Luther didn't shrug.</p><p>"Perhaps," he said, "But as I believe you know Lantern, the Light always planned to betray the Reach." The heroes glared steadily at the man's image and Luther sighed, as if he were pained by their actions. Luther held up a flash drive, "At the moment what the Light did or did not do is irrelevant. See LexCorp has developed anti-Reach software, a virus. The software should disable their Magnetic Field Disrupters, and if I'm right-I do believe time is of the essence."</p><p>Captain Atom let out a growl, he stepped away from his chair and up to the computer screen; the hero brought his hand up to the holographic computer keyboard that floated precariously in front of the large monitor.</p><p>"Captain Atom to all Leaguers; finish up what you're doing, save who you can and rendezvous in Metropolis outside of LexCorps as soon as possible. We have a way to stop the Reach's MFD's."</p><p>Looking like the cat who got the canary Luther smirked at the heroes, "Wonderful. I'll see you all shortly."</p><p>And with that his image disappeared from the monitor; Arley turned to Kaldur and Dick, perhaps she would have regretted torturing the Reach Scientist afterwards but at least then she wouldn't have felt like they were making a deal with the devil.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley stood with Wally, Barry and Bart outside LexCorp. Wally's hand was on the small of her back; other League members— the team, the Original Roy Harper and all the clones Cadmus had made of him, and the teens the Reach had experimented on —were littered around them in small groups. The Bats stood off in one, Artemis was with Oliver, Dinah and the Harpers; Conner and M'gann with the backs of their hands touching stood with B'arzz O'oomm, Wolf and Bodie who'd grown closer to the genetically enhanced wolf while Arley had gone undercover.</p><p>Captain Atom stood on a parapet, the anti-Reach technology LexCorp had designed in his hand; Luther and Jaime stood off to the side with the rest of the anti-Reach technology. "Every single Magnetic Field Disruptor must be disabled before they chrysalis to guarantee Earth's safety. Each MFD is protected by multiple beetle tech drones and each drone is the equivalent to a beetle warrior. Blue Beetle has located twenty-one MFD's around the world so you'll be in squads of two."</p><p>"You'll all be issued multiple Reach tech eggs," Luther said loudly as he held up a blue football shaped object, "They will all contain my anti-reach virus software. While one hero runs interference with the drones the other only physically has to touch his or her egg against an MFD to disable it."</p><p>"No way he's doing this from the goodness of his heart," Wally breathed into Arley's ear. Arley leaned her head closer to Wally, her eyes never leaving Luther.</p><p>"What heart? The man got a black hole in his chest cavity," Arley replied. "Bet you ten bucks there's an angle." Wally snorted lowly,</p><p>"No duh babe it's Luther, of course there's an angle." The corners of Arley's lips twitched up.</p><p>"Alright!" Captain Atom called out, "I have your assignments! We'll distribute these eggs and go; first up in the Atlantic Ocean Aqualad and Lagoon Boy."</p><p>Arley looked at Kaldur and La'gann— whose shoulders tensed as he stepped forward —as they approached Jaime and Luther.</p><p>"Next in Dakota City we have Black Lighting and Virgil Hawkins." One of the kids that the team had saved from the Reach stepped up; the young boy grinned slightly as he approached Black Lighting. "Flash and Rocket, you two are in New York." Barry— rubbing both Wally and Bart's heads before he moved away —and Raquel walked towards Luther and Jaime; they both scowled at Luther.</p><p>"Lantern and Kid Flash," Arley and Wally perked up, his hand pressed more firmly against the small of her back. "You two got Paris."</p><p>Wally grinned. He leaned towards Arley.</p><p>"Hear that babe, City of Love." Arley couldn't help but snort; Bart, who had been standing next to Wally rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Focus Handsome," Arley told her boyfriend as the two of them walked up to Jaime and Luther, Wally took the blue egg from Luther and Arley looked at Jaime, she set her hands on the younger teens shoulders; "Be careful out there, okay. Don't take unnecessary risks and watch your partners back-whoever it may be."</p><p>"I also won't talk to strangers and I'll look both ways before crossing the street," Jaime sassed, Arley flicked the young teens forehead. "Ow!"</p><p>"Don't be an ass Blue, I want to see you on the other side of this in one piece, okay? You have regents next week." With an over dramatic groan Jaime pulled Arley into a tight hug.</p><p>"Be safe, okay?"</p><p>"I have Wally watching my back," Arley said; to her that was as good as promising to see him later.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>There were a dozen tornadoes in Paris; the Magnetic Field Disrupter was at the base of the Eiffel Tower and Arley, as she and Wally stopped a dozen yards away, spotted three beetle drones that were stationed protectively in front of the world ending device.</p><p>"You're fast and I'm bright," Arley said with a grin as she glowed a faint green, she looked at Wally whose fingers were threaded with her own, "You get the egg to the MFD and I'll take out the drones."</p><p>"You'll be safe?"</p><p>"I got you and Aniell at my six, how much danger can I be in?" Arley quipped. She pressed a kiss against Wally's gloved fingers before she shook off his hands and took into the air; Arley fired at the first done with a swivel out of the way. The Blast hit the Eiffel Tower; Wally ran at the swirling Magnetic Field Disruptor only to veer off as the drones began to shoot at him.</p><p>Arley fired at the drone again; she hit it. The second beetle drone turned and fired at her; the blast missed Arley but hit the Greyhound bus that she'd been flying in front of. The bus exploded and Arley was blown through the air and into the arms of a speeding Wally West.</p><p>"What do you think about coming here again-you know when we don't have a world to save?" Wally asked.</p><p>"In case your forgot there's a world always in need of saving," Arley replied.</p><p>"Not what I meant," Wally grinned. "I thinking more for our Honeymoon."</p><p>With a swooning heart Arley flattened her body out in Wally's arms and hung her head upside down as she steadied her arm. Love, Arley loved Wally west with every cell in body and every breath of air in her lungs. Arley fired once between the two beetle drones and then sequentially at the two drones; neither of which could compute dodging Arley's first blast and then the next two fast enough.</p><p>"Drop me and go, you're clear." Wally dug his heels into the ground and skidded to a stop; he placed Arley upright, gently on the grass in front of the landmark, before he ran at it. Arley watched as Wally slammed the egg onto the side of the orange Magnetic Field Disruptor; the Reach technology died down and Arley grinned. She lifted her hand to her ear.</p><p>"Snapper," Arley said, for the first time in years not unkindly, "Omega squad—" Arley was cut off by Wally's lips, his hands were wrapped around her waist; Wally hauled her against his chest. Arley's eyes fluttered shut as she allowed her arms to wind around Wally's neck and her toes to curl.</p><p>"Omega squad repeat transmission," Lucas Carr said through the com-link. Arley paid the man no mind as Wally's tongue swept along her bottom lip. "Omega?"</p><p>There were a few things Arley knew to be true across the universe, one of them happened to be that kissing Wally West would never get old.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Though most of the Magnetic Field Disrupters had been destroyed only several of them were back at the Watchtower; their friends— their family —were still out there, destroying the rest of the beetle drones that'd been unleashed by the reach or helping fallen citizens that'd been struck down near the sight of the MFD's.</p><p>Carr had Ray Palmer— the Atom, Karen's mentor —on his shoulder as he manned the computer monitor. Billy, who'd been paired with Captain Atom, stood by the League leader and Oliver who had been paired with Karen, hovered behind them.</p><p>Karen sat on Arley's shoulder; Wally's arm was pressed up against hers, their fingers once more locked together.</p><p>"Theta squad to Watchtower, Asami has deployed the egg and disabled the MFD," Dinah said over the com-link.</p><p>"Good work theta!" Carr cheered, "Twenty-one squads deployed and twenty-one MFD's destroyed, the mission was a success!"</p><p>"We missed one," Palmer said dryly, over Carr's enthusiasm. The tiny, thumb sized man projected a large hologram into the middle of the room; it showed the Earth and the planet's magnetic field. "The Earth's magnetic field is still being disrupted. Blue Beetle?"</p><p>"Yeah?" Jaime had been paired off with Bart; the two of them had been sent to Taos, New Mexico, only a few miles from where Jaime lived.</p><p>"Scan the Earth again," Palmer instructed. Jaime let out a hum, a moment later the boy's voice broke through the com-link.</p><p>"Blue Beetle to Watchtower," Jaime said, "I'm reading a twenty second Field Disruptor. It was hidden from my previous scans by Earth's North Magnetic Pole, I'm sending the coordinates." Dick and Aquaman came through the zeta-tube.</p><p>"There's not zeta tubes in the arctic, how are we—"</p><p>"—Don't worry gang," Barry said, cutting off Carr, "I got this."</p><p>"Not without me you don't," Bart laughed. "Squads of two remember gramps—" Barry let out a breathy chuckle, he was a grandfather before a father after all, "—Now let's go and crash that MFD's mode!"</p><p>"Flash to Watchtower," Barry said a second later, "The Magnetic Field Disruptor, it's already gone chrysalis. I'm not if the egg—"</p><p>"—The egg is useless now," Luther said. "You're too late." Wally clutched at Arley's hand— or perhaps she clutched at his —all the Lantern knew is that she couldn't find it within herself to care that the joints of her fingers were beginning to hurt; bright ominous lights cut through the dark swirling clouds that had covered Earth's atmosphere.</p><p>"What now?" Barry demanded.</p><p>"No you run," Luther answered. M'gann and Conner walked into the room, the shoulder of Conner's shit was ripped but otherwise the two were fine.</p><p>"Hey! I'm no quitter, there's gotta be—"</p><p>"—I didn't say run away," Luther cut him off again, "I said run. Together you and Impulse should be able to negate the chrysalis by running counter to its energy flow."</p><p>"Is it really that simple?" Kaldur and La'gann stepped through the zeta tube, their eyes shining victoriously.</p><p>"I wouldn't call it simple," Ray Palmer said, "You'll be attempting to siphon the power with your own speed trials. It'll take a massive amount of kinetic energy." Wally detangled his hand from Arley's. "But no matter what don't slow down until the chrysalis is completely neutralized."</p><p>"Where are you going?" Arley hissed, her heart lifted into her throat because she knew Wally West better than she knew herself. She knew what was running through his head; she knew what he was planning on doing.</p><p>"Trust me?" Wally grinned, Arley uncurled her fingers from Wally's wrist. Arley would trust Wally West no matter what. Wally pressed a kiss to Arley's lips— instinctively Arley's eyes fluttered shut —and then, before she could open them, Wally was gone and the computers voice rang out,</p><p>"Recognized Kid Flash, B-zero-four."</p><p>Dick's head snapped; Kaldur, M'gann and Conner looked at Arley,</p><p>"Where did Wally go?"</p><p>"Where do you think!" Arley snapped, Arley looked at M'gann, she and Conner hadn't come through the zeta-tubes like she and Wally and Dick and Aquaman had. "You brought the bio-ship right?" M'gann nodded. "Then come on, I'm not standing here and waiting for him to come back."</p><p>Arley didn't bother to wait for her friends to step forward before she was shooting off towards the Watchtowers hanger. With a snicker and a shared look between the three of them, Dick, Jaime, Kaldur, M'gann and Conner took off after her.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Arley was the first off the bio-ship, the tornado-like funnel that the speedsters had created around the chrysalistic Magnetic Field Disruptor glowed brightly, blue lightning struck shot out of the funnel and at the icy ground. Conner wrapped a hand around Arley's wrist when she took a step forward; the half Kryptonian half human hybrid leveled the Lantern with a heavy look.</p><p>Arley nodded in understanding, even if she hated having to wait. Wally was retired, saving the world was her job; but at that moment it didn't matter because there was nothing she could do. The world needed Wally to help save it, to be it's hero.</p><p>"Look!" Dick said; Jaime cheered loudly behind him, "It's working, they're shutting it down!"</p><p>Quickly the funnel and lights died down; thick clouds of smoke and ice blew around the heroes.</p><p>"They did it! It's over!" M'gann cheered. Arley with a proud and excited smile on her face, tugged her arm out of Conners grapes as she shot off towards where Wally, Bart and Barry were; slowly the smoke cleared and as Kaldur and M'gann helped Barry and Bart to their feet Arley landed on the icy ground with the feeling of dread slowly washing over her.</p><p>Bart and Barry were in front of her; Wally wasn't.</p><p>"Congratulations!" Kaldur told Barry. Arley's eyes scanned the icy terrain for a spot of red and yellow, her ears strained against the howling winds for the sound of Wally's jubilant laughter only to find— to hear —nothing.</p><p><em>No,</em> Arley thought— prayed —hysterically, <em>No, please, not him!</em></p><p>"Where's Wally?" Arley asked, her lips were trembling, she turned to Barry, "Barry, where's—" Barry stepped forward, away from Kaldur, and dropped his hand onto Arley's shoulder. Arley had done that to people before, she had watched Hal and Guy do it countless times before. Arley shook her head.</p><p>"—I'm sorry," Barry whispered.</p><p>"No," Arley denied, Wally West didn't lie to Arley and he had sworn to never leave her.</p><p>He had promised to always be besides her.</p><p>"Arley," Barry said softly, "Wally, he loves you-loved you—"</p><p>"—He's not dead!" Arley shouted. Arley pushed Barry's hand off her shoulder as she took three shaky steps back, the world around her started to blur as tears gathered in her eyes. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest and suddenly Arley couldn't remember another time she'd had a harder time breathing. "He's not-Wally's not dead. He promised me he wouldn't leave!"</p><p>He'd promised to marry her; they were meant to have a future together.</p><p><em>He's not gone,</em> Arley thought; told herself, <em>He's not.</em></p><p>"I know," Barry said. His own lips were quivering. He stepped forward and once more placed his hands on Arley's shoulders, "I know he did and you know he wouldn't have if he'd had a choice." And Arley collapsed; she couldn't breath, her heart ached in a way she hadn't known was humanly possible.</p><p>M'gann was quick to scoop the Lantern into her arms as Arley let out loud, heartbreaking wails. Barry turned away from her, tears leaked down his own face from behind his mask.</p><p>Over the years, even when they hadn't wanted to, Wally and Arley had talked about the worst case scenarios, about what would happen if she didn't come home, if one day she fell in battle. They had prepared themselves for that reality because the longer the war between the Sinestro and Green Lantern Corps went on the more likely it was to come true, but this— being left behind, having to live without him —wasn't something Arley had never even dared to imagine.</p><p>She had never pictured living a life without Wally West by her side.</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Barry had gone to tell the Wests and Arley, as the others on the team went to greet the League members who'd gone off the Rimbor— and the Green Lantern Corps —had been left on the Watchtower. Dinah had her arm wrapped around Arley's shoulder; though Arley's sobs had quieted the young woman hadn't stopped crying.</p><p>Arley doubted that she ever would; Wally hadn't just been the love of her life— he hadn't just been the man she was going to marry one day —he'd been the first friend she'd ever had; her best friend for years. He was more a part of her then she was apart of herself some days; he was half her soul.</p><p>The door to the room Dinah and Arley were in was pushed open and with bloodshot eyes Arley looked up to see her fathers; Hal, Guy, John and Kilowog. The four of them had deep frowns on their faces and behind them, behind Katma and the new temporary Lantern Kyle, was Ganthet, one of the Guardians of the Universe and members of the council that lead the Green Lantern Corps.</p><p>"Dad," Arley croaked, "Wally—" Arley clapped a hand over her mouth as a sob wracked though he body and Hal flew to her, his arms wrapped around Arley and tightly hugged her to his chest, he dropped a kiss into the top of her head and she could feel the deep breath he let out against her scalp.</p><p>"I know kiddo," Hal breathed.</p><p>Dinah got up and moved from her spot next to Arley; slowly the Lanterns and Guardian filtered into the room. Hal rocked Arley side to side, just as he'd done when he'd been nine and having nightmares in their old Coast City apartment.</p><p>Guy saddled up on Arley's other side, his hand rubbed up and down her back; Kilowog stood next to John and Katma with his arms crossed and red eyes cast to the floor. He'd never been Wally's biggest fan— Kilowog's own daughter had been killed with the rest of his people years ago and Arley was the closest thing he had to a kid, so he had always been more protective of her then he was with other recruits —but that hadn't meant he didn't like Wally, he had.</p><p>Kyle hovered by the door awkwardly; Arley didn't know the young man as he'd been picked to replace her just as she had faked her death for the mission. He smiled sadly at her and Arley supposed he was nice— good —the ring wouldn't have picked him if he weren't worthy.</p><p>"Green Lantern Arley," Ganthet said gently, his eyes soft as he looked at her, Arley sniffled loudly and tried to blink away her tears only for more to cloud her vision. Ganthet floated in front of her, he set a tiny, bony hand on Arley's knee.</p><p>"Sir," she whimpered. She felt as if she'd been gutted, as if there was a cold and empty yet somehow heavy hole inside of her chest where her heart had once resided.</p><p>"I am sorry for your loss. You cared for this human." Understatement. "I wanted-before I went to see the prisoners, I wished to say good work."</p><p>"Thank you sir." Ganthet breathed, his head nodded. Ganthet went to turn only to stop, "Tomar-Tu's wife is sick, he'll be going back to his sector to care for her. The position as archivist at the Hall of Great Service will be opening." It hadn't sounded like it but Arley could hear the Guardians offer; she nodded and Ganthet turned to Kilowog and Katma, John squeezed his wife's hand before he moved past her and towards Arley.</p><p>Katma, Kyle, Kilowog and Ganthet left the room; Kilowog hesitated in the doorway with a look over his shoulder before he shut it behind him.</p><p>The bald, dark skinned Lantern kneeled in front of Arley and took her hands in his, "Hey," John said softly to her, "It's-I know it hurts now, I know it does," John said, "But Arley one day it'll be okay, alright? We'll get through this."</p><p>"How?" Arley croaked, John shrugged as his fingers curled more securely around Arley's hands.</p><p>"I don't know, but we will," John swore, and though she wanted too, Arley couldn't find it in herself to believe him. Wally was gone, how could anything ever be okay again?</p><p>
  <strong>…</strong>
</p><p>Hours later and with the evidence she had Kaldur had collected over the past few months, Hal and the others escorted the Reach off world and back to Oa; with bloodshot eyes and a heavy heart Arley, as she stood in front of Wally's holographic image, watched the Reach slowly leave Earth's atmosphere.</p><p>She would meet them on Oa for the trials after Wally's funeral, whenever that would be. In the meantime— while the League or whoever tended to the funeral arraignments —she'd pack up the apartment; she'd have to give Wally's stuff back to his parents and both Hal and Kyle had already promised to help her move her things into the shared flat she and Kilowog had on Oa.</p><p>She couldn't stay on Earth, not without Wally. On Oa she'd be busy with stacks of record that needed archiving and a war that needed fighting. She wouldn't have to think of the life she was living without him.</p><p>"Hi." Arley turned; Bart, wearing one of Wally's old Kid Flash costumes frowned at her. His eyes were red, as was the tip of his nose. Arley's chest ached at the sight of Bart.</p><p>"You look good," Arley whispered.</p><p>"Really cause I feel like fraud," Bart said.</p><p>"Don't," Arley said as she shook her head, "Wally-he wanted you to take over the mantle didn't he?" He'd mentioned that her her the night before, when they'd been curled up on the couch with Artemis and awaiting the United Nations response.</p><p>It felt longer than that— longer than just twenty four hours —and yet it had to be. More tears quelled in Arley's eyes, twenty four hours ago she'd been in Wally's arms, now he was dead.</p><p>"I guess," Bart shrugged, the speedster walked over to Arley, his eyes on the holographic image of Wally. When he stopped next to Arley he looked at her, his chest quivered with every breath he took. "It-this is my fault," Bart whispered, Arley looked at the younger boy, "Wally wasn't supposed to die-not like this at least. You two were supposed to be happy and have a family but now you won't because I changed the timeline."</p><p>Arley wanted to agree, she wanted to spit at the younger boy and blame him; anger rose in her throat only to stop when she saw tears shining in his eyes. Under the Watchtower lights Barts auburn hair almost looked red; he almost looked like Wally.</p><p>Wally who was dead, who Arley had lost and would never see again.</p><p>"Bart," Arley put a hand on the speedsters upper arm, Wally wouldn't blame him; it'd been the Reach that caused Wally's death not Bart. "You changed the timeline to save the world. You did what you needed to do."</p><p>How could she fault him for doing his duty, for doing what he had needed to do in order to save the world when she did the same thing everyday. </p><p>Bart kicked the grass under his feet.</p><p>"Still," the boy breathed, "This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out."</p><p>"Then tell me," Arley blurted out before she could stop herself, "Tell me how it was supposed to turn out."</p><p>Part of Arley didn't want to heart, part of her wanted to stuff the words back into her mouth and tell Bart never mind; hearing about the life she could have had with Wally would do nothing but hurt. But another— bigger —more morbidly curious part of herself needed to know.</p><p>She needed to know what she lost.</p><p>"Are you sure?" Bart asked, "It'll hurt." Arley was already hurting, already breaking at the seems.</p><p>"Yeah," she nodded, she lowered herself to the ground so that she could sit, Bart sat next to her, his legs crossed over one another.</p><p>"Where do you want me to start?" Bart asked softly. A hundred possibilities ran through her mind,</p><p>"Our wedding," Arley said, "Tell me about that, please." And Bart did, in a low tone under the holographic image of a smiling Wally West, he told Arley a story of herself and Wally; one that ended happily.</p>
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